Brandon v. Newman

Miller, Judge.

The question presented is whether an attorney’s unethical reward to a nonlawyer for a referral resulting in the attorney’s employment invalidates the attorney’s claim of lien against settlement proceeds. We hold that an attorney’s express employment contract 1 obtained through a violation of Disciplinary Standard 13 of Bar Rule 4-102 (d) is itself void as against public policy and therefore affirm the trial court’s forfeiture of the lien.

The following chronology in this claim for a $40,000 attorney’s lien is undisputed: Appellee Raymond Warren Newman, Jr. was injured in a…