Comments on: Model Rule 1.5 – Fees

By: Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:55:57 +0000

Great question. Again, a way that the Model Rules could potentially limit a lawyer’s ability to act as an agent. I recently read a nice law review article that I plan discussing in the near future. Currently, I am about 3 days behind in each of my law school classes, 6 days behind on sports news, I have a lot of Dynasty work, and my body has not adjusted yet from my trip. Gotta love Vegas…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:05:39 +0000

I am interested to hear the thoughts of you and your readers on the unauthorized practice of law as it relates to sports agents. Specifically, how does an attorney, serving as an agent, advise a client who is negotiating with a team in a state other than the state the agent is licensed. Does the agent-attorney negotiate the contract and then engage local counsel to review the employment agreement/contract?

By: omose

omose — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:52:59 +0000

i prefer the lawyer becos of contract intrepretation and its complexities

By: Lawrence Dushenski

Lawrence Dushenski — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:41:42 +0000

I must agree with you on this one. While it makes sense for basic legal representation to be based on an hourly fee, as the nature of the work demands that is be as such. But the nature of agent work is much more all encompasing. To define when a “session” with a client would begin and end would be rather hard to determine, for example does every phone call that an athlete place with his agent quantify an hour? The benefit of having a agent rather than just a lawyer to negotiate contracts is the personal level that is reached through constant interaction, this would not be the case if the agent was constantly keeping track of his billable hours.

Commission is a much better system for professional sports because of this.