Potter v. Schlesser Co., Inc.

The issue presented in this case is whether plaintiff, an attorney, can enforce an attorney’s lien for fees against defendant when plaintiffs client and defendant settled their action without plaintiffs knowledge and without satisfying plaintiffs lien. The Court of Appeals and the trial court concluded that plaintiff could not enforce the lien against defendant. We disagree and reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals and the judgment of the trial court.

We take the material facts from the Court of Appeals’ opinion:

“Plaintiff, an attorney, represented George Hunt in an action for racial…