Contract attorneys are engaged through staffing agencies or directly for project work, principally document review. They are licensed attorneys working under supervision without partnership track or permanent status.
Billing treatment varies by client guidelines.
Alternative Names:
Temporary Attorney, Project Attorney
Why it Matters?
Whether contract attorney time may be billed at a markup or must be passed through at cost is a recurring guideline issue, and some clients require disclosure of the underlying rate. Ethics opinions have addressed markup disclosure requirements, with the general position that clients must be informed if the charge exceeds the actual cost as a fee rather than an expense. Supervision obligations also apply regardless of the engagement structure.
Frequently Confused with
Frequently asked questions
Can contract attorney time be billed at a markup?
Do supervision obligations apply?
