How to find a contingency fee lawyer

What this guide is, and is not

This page is not a directory or a matching tool. We do not list, rank or recommend individual lawyers. It explains where to look, how to screen the lawyers you find and what to check before you sign. For how the fee itself works, see contingency fees explained.

Contingency fees are common in personal injury, medical malpractice, some employment and consumer claims, and claims for certain benefits. They are not available for criminal defense, or in divorce matters where the fee would depend on securing the divorce or on the amount of support or property awarded^[1].

Where to look

1. Your state bar's lawyer referral service. Referral services match you with a participating lawyer in the right practice area. Some charge nothing for the referral itself, as in Kansas^[2], and some cap the first consultation, for example at $25 or less for 30 minutes in Illinois^[3] or $50 in North Carolina^[4]. Contingency lawyers often waive even that fee for a case they want to evaluate.
2. Personal recommendations from people who had a similar case, or from a lawyer you already know in another field.
3. Legal aid, if your income is low. Legal aid programs usually send injury-type cases to private lawyers first, but they may help if two private lawyers have turned the case down^[5]. See the legal aid guide.
4. Lawyer advertising and online listings are fine as a starting list, but screen those lawyers the same way. Ask who will actually handle your case, because some firms that advertise widely refer cases to other firms.

If one lawyer refers you to another and they split the fee, ABA Model Rule 1.5(e) requires your written agreement to the arrangement, including each lawyer's share, and the total fee must still be reasonable^[1].

State bar lawyer referral services

Links go to the referral service, or the bar's referral page, that we verified for each state (checked October 2026). Fees and coverage vary; some services do not cover every county. The state name links to our state cost guide.

Screening questions for the first call

• How many cases like mine have you handled, and how recently?
• Who will work on my case day to day, and who will I talk to?
• What percentage do you charge at each stage, and what triggers a higher percentage?
• Are case costs deducted before or after your fee? Do I owe costs if we lose?
• Is there a statute or court rule that caps the fee in this type of case?
• How will medical liens or insurance reimbursement claims be handled?
• What is the deadline for filing my claim, and when would you file?
• Will any other firm be involved or share the fee?
• How and how often will you update me?

Talking to two or three lawyers before signing is normal, and contingency consultations are often free.

Check the agreement before you sign

Under ABA Model Rule 1.5(c), a contingency agreement must be in writing and signed by you, and must state the percentage for settlement, trial or appeal, the expenses to be deducted, whether they are deducted before or after the fee, and any expenses you owe regardless of outcome. At the end, the lawyer must give you a written statement showing how the recovery was divided^[1].

Some states add more. In Florida, the lawyer must give you a signed Statement of Client's Rights before you sign, and the contract must let you cancel within 3 business days^[6]. Some fees are capped by law, for example 20% or 25% under the Federal Tort Claims Act^[7] and 25% or 33% in California medical malpractice cases^[8]. The full list we verified is in contingency fees explained, and you can test the numbers with the contingency fee calculator.

Red flags

• Uninvited contact after an accident. State ethics rules restrict lawyers from soliciting clients through live, in-person or real-time contact when the motive is a fee; Massachusetts' rule, for example, bars it except with other lawyers, people who have a family, close personal or prior professional relationship with the lawyer, and certain business or organizational contacts, and it bars any solicitation involving coercion, duress or harassment^[9]. After an airline crash, federal law bars attorneys from unsolicited communications with victims or relatives about a lawsuit before the 45th day after the accident^[10].
• Pressure to sign on the spot, at the hospital, at home or by text, before you have read the agreement.
• Promises of a specific settlement amount or a guaranteed win.
• Vague answers about costs, or an agreement that does not say whether costs come out before or after the fee.
• An upfront payment demanded for what is described as a contingency case, without a clear explanation of what it is for.
• A percentage above a legal cap that applies to your type of case.
• A "case runner", tow operator or medical office steering you to a particular lawyer.

Verify the lawyer

Every state bar or licensing authority has an online search showing whether a lawyer is licensed and in good standing, and many show public discipline. Check the name exactly as it appears on the agreement. Your state guide links to the state bar and its fee dispute program where we found one.

If no lawyer will take the case

Contingency lawyers decline cases when they judge that the likely recovery will not cover the work and costs, when liability is unclear, or when a deadline has passed. A refusal is not a ruling on your claim. Options:

• Ask each lawyer why, and whether another type of lawyer would be a better fit.
• Get a second or third opinion through a referral service.
• Ask about hourly or flat-fee help with a limited part of the claim.
• For smaller amounts, consider small claims court.
• If you are low-income and two private lawyers have said no, ask legal aid again^[5].