contingency fees

     Contingency fees are the fees we don't pay to a lawyer who agrees to take a case--a civil suit--on the chance of winning a settlement. If the lawyer or law firm wins a financial award from the corporation being sued, the lawyer or law firm keeps part of the money. The client doesn't have to pay anything in advance. You may see advertisements for law firms promising that you won't have to pay them anything unless they win a civil suit for you ( a civil suit is a suit over money, not crime--for example, when you fall on a wet floor and sue the owner of the building ). Contingency fees are legal, but the lawyer or law firm who wins a case for you on a contingency basis may insist on a fairly large portion of any settlement you receive.