Which document or arrangement must include the right to arbitrate certain fee disputes?

• A. The engagement letter
• B. The client's tax return
• C. A court order modifying the engagement terms
• D. A separate written agreement signed after the engagement

Answer: (A)

The engagement letter is the document that must include a provision about arbitrating fee disputes. It’s the contract that creates the attorney–client relationship and sets the fee arrangement, so placing an arbitration clause there ensures the mechanism for resolving fee disputes is part of the initial agreement and binding from the outset. The client’s tax return is unrelated to the attorney–client contract and its dispute resolution terms, a court order modifying engagement terms isn’t the contract that governs fee disputes, and while a separate written agreement signed after engagement could also contain an arbitration clause, the standard and most reliable place to establish that right is in the engagement letter.