September 3, 2004

'Risks, Reputations, and Rewards: Contingency Fee Legal Practice in the United States'

By NINA C. AYOUB

These days, "trial lawyer" is almost an epithet. Just ask John Edwards. At times, he's found himself dismissed as a Washington novice, then damned for too much time in court.

For some, the former profession of the Democratic senator and vice-presidential candidate enables a litigious culture gone wild. Members of the "plaintiffs' bar," especially personal-injury lawyers, are seen as living high off contingency fees and taking advantage of naïve clients. Others counter that

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