When splitting fees with another lawyer, what is required?

• A. Client consent and the fee split must be in proportion to work performed
• B. No client consent is necessary for fee splitting
• C. Fee splitting is prohibited under all circumstances
• D. The court must approve any fee-splitting arrangement

Answer: (A)

When splitting fees with another lawyer, the client must be informed and consent to the arrangement, and the overall fee must be reasonable and divided in proportion to the services performed by each lawyer (or each lawyer must share joint responsibility for the matter). This ensures the client pays for actual work done and prevents an unfair or unwarranted sharing of fees. The court does not normally have to approve such fee splits, and fee-splitting is not prohibited outright; it’s allowed only when these conditions are met.