WALKER, HAMILTON & KOENIG

Much of our practice comes from other attorneys. Because we specialize in trying cases, and because of our resources and experience, we are often brought in when a case fails to settle. In other situations, a client is directed to us at the outset, and we sign the client to our contract as opposed to that of the referring attorney. Regardless of when we are brought into a case, we pay referral fees and work as closely with the referring attorney as that attorney desires.

Once we are brought into a case, we either become sole counsel of record or we become lead counsel. In either situation, we take primary responsibility for strategy, discovery, trial preparation, settlement negotiations, witness-gathering, expert witness procurement, trial, post-trial (including liens), and appeals.

Our referral fees are designed to be competitive with those of the highest quality trial lawyers in the Bay Area. A standard referral fee in other than medical malpractice cases is 33% of our fee. The exact amount, however, varies depending on the amount of input, work and expense contributed by the referring attorney. Within the provisions of California law and the Code of Ethics, we always pay something for the referring attorney’s work-and that payment can range as high as 50% in some situations.

We consistently pay out more than $1 million in referral fees every year. In 2010, we paid out almost $2 million in referrals.