My wife, Janet and I like to patronize local businesses in Gloucester City whenever we can. For example some years ago we hired an attorney to draw up our Will and our Living Will. Over time things have changed and we needed to update both documents. Our local lawyer recently retired; as such, we hired another lawyer from our community to amend both Wills. I should have asked him beforehand how much he would charge for his time. Thinking it couldn’t be that expensive, I didn’t pursue that thought. Plus, since he never mentioned how much it would be, that furthered my conviction that his charges would be minimal.
A BIG MISTAKE.
My wife and I headed to his office several weeks later to sign the paperwork and retrieve the new Wills. Printed on the last page of the invoice he presented us was a charge of $3,000, less a special family and friends discount of $500. Balance owed, $2,500.
We have decided to appeal his fees with a District Fee Arbitration Committee.
According to my research on appealing an attorney’s fee in New Jersey, you can file a request for binding fee arbitration with a District Fee Arbitration Committee within 30 days of receiving the final bill or, if a lawsuit is filed, appeal the decision to the Appellate Division of Superior Court within 45 days.
BELOW IS SOME INFORMATION FOUND VIA AINJ Courts (.gov)
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Steps to Appeal (Fee Arbitration):
Attempt Resolution: First, discuss the fee directly with your attorney, who must inform you of your right to arbitration.
File for Arbitration: Complete the Fee Arbitration Notice of Appeal Form ( and mail it to the address listed on the form, typically with the Office of Attorney Ethics (P.O. Box 962, Trenton, NJ 08625), within 30 days of receiving the final invoice.
Committee Review: A local committee will review the case. Note that fee arbitration cannot decide claims of legal malpractice, only whether the fee is reasonable.
Appealing the Arbitration Decision: If you disagree with the arbitration result, a written appeal must be filed with the Disciplinary Review Board within 21 days of the written decision.
NJ Courts (.gov)
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Important Notes:
Fee arbitration proceedings are confidential.
If a judge ordered the fee, you must appeal to the Superior Court Appellate Division.
If you are appealing a court decision (not arbitration), you must file the appeal within 45 days.
NJ Courts (.gov)
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If you are facing a large fee dispute, you may wish to consult with a new attorney to review the billing records for reasonableness. SOURCE: Attorney Ethics and Discipline
Robert S. Bevan, former Gloucester City Mayor