Are you and your lawyer having a disagreement about his fees? Have you tried to resolve it, but can't? The San Diego County Bar Association may be able to help.

The Bar sponsors a fee dispute arbitration program, which can be an efficient and effective alternative to litigation in the resolution of fee disputes between attorneys and clients. The arbitration process normally takes four to six months.

Arbitration provides a fair, speedy and impartial determination of the facts, as presented by both parties. Each party submits a statement of fact prior to a hearing before the arbitrator. During the hearing, the arbitrator, acting as referee, will ask questions and allow for each party to do the same. After the hearing, the arbitrator will render a decision based on the statements of fact and the hearing.

The San Diego County Bar Association's fee dispute arbitration program will consider cases only if the attorney involved in the dispute has an office in San Diego County or if the majority of services were performed in San Diego County. The filing fee for the fee dispute arbitration program is 5% of the amount in dispute.

If you'd like additional information on the fee dispute arbitration program, contact the Bar at (619) 231-0781.