Walker v. Giuffre

Courts in New Jersey have traditionally adhered to the American Rule as the principle that governs attorneys’ fees. This guiding concept provides that, absent authorization by contract, statute or rule, each party to a litigation is responsible for the fees charged by Ms or her attorney. Fees charged by one’s own attorney, of course, must comply with our Rules of Professional Conduct, see RPC 1.5, and fees awarded by courts, regardless of *128their basis, are governed by principles of reasonableness, see R. 4:42-9; see, e.g., Litton Indus., Inc. v. IMO Indus., Inc., 200 N.J. 372, 386, 982 A.2d…