General Terms of Engagement
Last Updated: 7/19/2021
These General Terms govern your engagement of Campbell Teague LLC.
Scope of Work:
In addition to these General Terms, your engagement with Campbell Teague is governed by the Scope of Work we emailed to you. We’ve crafted the Scope of Work based on information you provided to us, as well as any assumptions specified in the Scope of Work.
Matters not included in the agreed Scope of Work will require mutual agreement to a new scope of work and an updated budget.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:
- If your scope of work does not include the filing of a lawsuit, a new engagement will be required for the filing of any lawsuit.
- If your scope of work includes filing of a lawsuit, a new engagement will be required for the filing of any appeals, or for filing any additional lawsuits.
Campbell Teague has no obligation to agree to engagement for additional scopes of work.
Budget:
Unless otherwise stated in your Scope of Work, our proposed budget is an approximation and is not guaranteed. The budget is based on information you provided to us and the agreed-upon plan of action to complete the matter. If we learn anything new that impacts our estimate, we will promptly discuss with you and provide an updated budget.
Billing:
We send invoices via email on a monthly basis. Unless stated otherwise on the invoice, payments are due within 14 days of the date of the invoice. We reserve the right to charge 2% monthly interest on past-due accounts.
For matters billed by the hour, we record our time in increments of one tenth (1/10) of an hour.
Fees:
We adjust our hourly rates in January and July of each calendar year to reflect changes in prevailing market rates. Unless we agree to a different arrangement in writing, you agree to pay our standard rates which are in effect at the time any work is performed. Our standard rates are available upon request.
Contingency Fees:
If your Scope of Work provides for a contingency fee, you agree to pay us the percentage of “Gross Recovery” specified in the Scope of Work. “Gross Recovery” means any recovery through settlement, judgement, or otherwise on your behalf, without any offset or deduction whatsoever. If any part of the “Gross Recovery” is illiquid, then you agree our fee shall be based upon the fair monetary value of the “Gross Recovery.”
Costs:
You are responsible for paying all costs associated with your matter, including, without limitation, court filing fees, travel, expert fees, and mediation fees. We may require you to pay substantial expenses directly, as opposed to reimbursing us.
Our firm leverages many technology products, including cloud storage, document automation, discovery tools, and remote communication applications. These tools increase our effectiveness and efficiency, ultimately saving you money on legal fees. You agree that we may charge a technology fee in an amount that we determine in our sole discretion based on the needs of the matter. (In no event will such fee exceed $500 per month without your express consent.)
Retainers:
Your Scope of Work specifies whether an initial retainer is required.
If your Scope of Work requires an “evergreen” retainer, you agree to replenish the retainer each time the balance falls below 50% of the initial retainer amount. For sake of clarity, we will send you a funds request when replenishment is required.
We reserve the right to modify retainer requirements at any point during the engagement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:
- For litigation matters, we will require a substantial trial retainer due 120 days before a scheduled trial date.
- To the extent not already required by the Scope of Work, if fees are not paid timely, we may require an “evergreen” retainer, kept current at all times, against which we will bill our time.
Charging Lien:
In recognition of Campbell Teague’s co-ownership interest in the proceeds of this legal matter, and to secure payment of costs and attorney’s fees, you grant Campbell Teague a charging lien on any and all recoveries on your claims or causes of action, whether by settlement, collection of a judgment, or otherwise. You understand that the charging lien may be used to protect Campbell Teague’s right to reasonable compensation for work done and not yet paid in the event you discharge Campbell Teague.
Results and Termination:
We will use our best efforts and abilities to obtain the best result possible under the circumstances, but we cannot promise any particular result. You can terminate our association at any time, but you will be responsible for any unpaid fees and costs accrued to that point. We will have the same right, subject to our obligation to give you reasonable notice. Our right of termination includes the right to withdraw from representation in the event fees are not paid in a timely fashion.
