For Attorneys
The California State Bar approved Mandatory Fee Arbitration Program of the Sonoma County Bar Association handles fee and cost disputes including claims of return of non-earned prepaid fees. Mandatory Fee Arbitration operates under the authority of the California Business & Professions Code sections 6200-6206.
Before a California attorney can proceed to the courts to collect fees and/or costs, they must deliver a “Notice of Client’s Right to Arbitration” either before filing suit or concurrently with the summons and complaint.
If you have been notified by this office of a client’s request to arbitrate a fee dispute with you, you should respond to that request using an “Attorney’s Reply to Client’s Request for Arbitration” form.
Want to Become an Arbitrator? Click Here.
Fee Arbitration materials available for download:
- Form: Notice of Client’s Right to Arbitration
- Document: Rules Local Rev. Jan 29 2016 (R 6.13.16)
- Form: Attorney’s Request for Arbitration Rev 10-09-19.doc
- Form: Attorney’s Reply to Client’s Request for Arbitration
- Form: CM 180 Re Automatic Stay
- Document: Notice of Rights After Hearing Rev Feb 2012
- Form: Petition to Confirm, Correct, or Vacate Attorney-Client Fee Arbitration Award (ADR-103)
- Form: Rejection of Award and Request for Trial After Attorney-Client Fee Arbitration (ADR-104)