Recent Important Decisions

Attorney and Client – Contracts Restricting Settlement by Client – A contingent fee agreement made by an attorney with his client provided that the attorney should have a lien for his services on the amount received by reason of the claim, and also that neither party should compromise the claim without the consent of the other. The plaintiff brought suit for the amount of his services against the defendants in the prior suit, who admitted receiving notice of the above agreement. Held, an agreement prohibiting a client from settling a case without the attorney’s consent is void as against public policy and third parties sought to be held liable for compensation of client’s attorney may avail themselves of its invalidity, Nichols v Waters, (Mich., x918), 167 N. W. I.