Success Fee

Legal fees added to hourly billings if, in the lawyer's opinion, he or she deserves a bonus based on his performance. Protest any such billing.

Legal fees added to hourly billings if, in the lawyer’s opinion,he deserves a bonus based on his performance.
Obviously, outside the practice of law, you are unlikely to find an employee or consultant unilaterally deciding his own compensation. Even chairmen of large corporations don’t set their own compensation levels. Think of your local supermarket cashier: "Well, today the produce is exceptionally fresh and you didn’t have to wait, so that’s an extra $10.00." If your lawyer wants a success fee, see if he’ll give you a "failure discount." Ask whether he’ll agree to reduce his fee if in your sole opinion his performance was unsatisfactory.
While some highly-regarded lawyers charge success fees, we believe it raises ethical questions, especially since counsel knows you, your psyche, and your finances intimately! Your state’s Cannons of Ethics may address this issue.