Attorney Information
The California State Bar approved Mandatory Fee Arbitration Program of the Sonoma County Bar Association handles fee and cost disputes including claims of return of non-earned prepaid fees. Mandatory Fee Arbitration operates under the authority of the California Business & Professions Code sections 6200-6206.
Before a California attorney can proceed to the courts to collect fees and/or costs, they must deliver a "Notice of Client's Right to Arbitration" either before filing suit or concurrently with the summons and complaint. If you are contemplating an action against a client and need a "Notice of Client's Right to Arbitration" form, click here to download a copy.
If you have been notified by this office of a client's request to arbitrate a fee dispute with you, you should respond to that request using an "Attorney's Reply to Client's Request for Arbitration" form. If you need this form, click here to request a copy.
Fee Arbitration materials available for download:
- Form: Attorney's Reply to Client's Request for Arbitration
- Form: Attorney's Request for Arbitration
- Form: Notice of Client's Right to Arbitration
- Form: Rules of Procedure for Fee Arbitration
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