Attorney fees — in plain language

Plain language

the money paid to lawyers for their work representing you in a legal matter

• lawyer's charges
• legal costs
• payment for legal services
• lawyer's bill

What to watch for

• Non-lawyers often confuse 'attorney fees' with 'court costs' — court costs are filing fees and administrative charges, while attorney fees are what you pay the lawyer for their time and expertise.
• The phrase 'reasonable attorney fees' does not mean 'cheap' — it means fees that a court would consider fair and appropriate for the work performed.
• In contracts, 'attorney fees' can mean either the client pays their own lawyer, or the losing party pays the winner's lawyer — the context determines which applies.
• Contingency fees (where the lawyer gets a percentage of what you win) are a type of attorney fee arrangement, but the term 'attorney fees' alone does not imply contingency.

Why This Term Is Hard to Translate. "Attorney fees" sounds like it should be simple, but it can mean different things depending on who pays whom. In most cases, the client pays their own lawyer. But in contracts or statutes with fee-shifting provisions, the loser pays the winner's lawyer. The plain-language version must clarify which arrangement applies.

What to Watch For.

• Fee-shifting language: Phrases like "prevailing party shall recover" or "loser pays" indicate that attorney fees go from one side to the other, not from client to lawyer.
• Reasonable vs. actual: "Reasonable attorney fees" allows court review of the charges, while "actual attorney fees" typically means what was actually billed.
• Inclusion with other costs: Attorney fees are often grouped with court costs and other expenses — keep them separate in plain language so readers understand they're paying the lawyer, not the court.

Common Misunderstandings by Non-Lawyers.

• "'Attorney fees' means the court makes the other side pay my lawyer." (Only if there's a specific law or contract provision saying so.)
• "I have to pay my lawyer whether I win or lose." (Usually true, unless you have a contingency arrangement or win with fee-shifting.)
• "Attorney fees are the same as court costs." (No — court costs are filing fees and administrative charges; attorney fees are what you pay your lawyer.)

Legal definition

The money you pay to a lawyer for representing you in a legal matter. This can include hourly charges, flat fees for specific services, or contingency fees where the lawyer takes a percentage of what you win. In some situations, a contract or law may require the losing side of a dispute to pay the winner's attorney fees.

Meanings by context

fee-shifting statutes: When the law or contract says the loser of a case has to pay the winner's lawyer bills.

family law: When a judge orders one spouse to pay the other spouse's lawyer bills, usually because one makes much more money than the other.

Examples

Where you'll see it

• commercial contracts
• court filings
• settlement agreements
• lease agreements
• insurance policies

Related terms

• litigation costs
• court costs
• expert fees
• contingency fee
• hourly rate
• flat fee

Word details

Pronunciation

uh-TURN-ee FEEZ

Part of speech

noun

Origin

English — attorney' from Old French 'atour' (one who arranges matters) + 'fees' from Old English 'feoh' (money, payment)

Domains

contract law, civil litigation, family law, cost shifting and fee shifting, civil remedies

Frequency

very common

Formality

moderate