Between lawyers, fee division is an ethics question first. ABA Model Rule 1.5(e) sets the conditions; your state bar’s version controls. There is no bar-set “typical percentage.”
Between lawyers, yes — under conditions. ABA Model Rule 1.5(e) permits dividing a fee only when the split is proportional to work performed or each lawyer assumes joint responsibility, the client agrees to the arrangement including each lawyer’s share in writing, and the total fee is reasonable.
Paying referral fees to non-lawyers is separately restricted in most jurisdictions. Documentation is the compliance: firms treat tracking referred matters as an ethics requirement, not an operations preference.
An example of the kinds of terms lawyer-to-lawyer fee division under Model Rule 1.5(e) typically covers: proportional work or joint responsibility, client written consent to each lawyer’s share, and a reasonable total fee. Your state bar’s version controls. This is not a form to use.
This is an example only, not a form to use, and not legal advice. Do not fill it in or sign it. Confirm your jurisdiction’s rules with counsel before paying or accepting a divided fee.
Track each referred matter and its fee split in Introzy, free.
The model rule does not publish a percentage. State bars adapt the rule, and the compliant split depends on work, responsibility, and written consent — not a market midpoint. Use counsel and your jurisdiction’s rules before any fee-sharing arrangement.
Professional engagement, $50,000 fee, warm introduction, paid on close. Numbers come from the calculator’s professional-services model.
$5,750 – $7,000
11.5% – 14% of first-year fees
This is a professional-services modeling example from our published-convention calculator. It is not “the typical attorney referral fee,” not ethics guidance, and not a substitute for your state bar’s version of Rule 1.5(e).
After the ethics path is clear, model numbers and put compliant terms in writing.
"Model a professional engagement"
Preselected for professional engagements. Use only after you understand your jurisdiction’s rules.
"What belongs in writing?"
A one-page template for non-regulated business referrals — law firms still need bar-aware counsel.
This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Example ranges come from the same published-convention model as our referral fee calculator. Consult a qualified professional before making compensation decisions. Open the calculator.