As with most litigating attorneys, the lawyers at Spector Foerst & Associates thrive on referrals. We are New Jersey-certified civil trial attorneys, and we are happy to pay referral fees to other lawyers who send personal injury cases our way.
What does it mean to be a certified trial attorney?
A New Jersey attorney who is certified by the Supreme Court as a civil trial attorney must have been a member in good standing of the Bar of New Jersey for more than five years, must be up-to-date on continuing legal education credits, must have demonstrated a substantial level of experience in civil trial law, must have been favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with his or her work, and must have taken and passed a written examination in civil trial law.
Of 75,000 attorneys in New Jersey, only 1,650 are certified – and Spector Foerst & Associates is proud to be among that group of those who are.
Referral fees typically constitute a third of the damages or settlement.
“Referral fee” can mean many different things in the law. While it is unethical to pay non-lawyers (like doctors, tow truck operators or body shops) for referring potential cases, when an attorney refers a possible case, and a positive settlement or verdict results, Spector Foerst & Associates pays the referring attorney a share of the settlement or damages awarded.
The most common arrangement known is a “third of a third”: We represent plaintiffs on a one-third contingent fee. In other words, we take one-third of any settlement or damages, after costs are reimbursed to the firm, and then we split that fee with the referring lawyer so that the referring lawyer receives one-third of the fee, while Spector Foerst & Associates, having litigated the case, takes two-thirds of the fee.
If you have a client you believe has a potential personal injury or damages case, please contact us to discuss the case and our options.