what do attorney fee provision cover in commercial loan

by Prof. Sonny Klein DVM 9 min read

An attorney fee clause breaks the default fee rule and identifies which party must pay the other party’s (or parties’) lawyers’ fees and other costs and expenses. When two or more parties enter into a contract, they may designate, within the legal document, who pays for legal costs, like attorneys’ fees, if a lawsuit is brought.

Full Answer

What is an attorney's fees provision?

Lenders should be especially careful when drafting attorneys’ fees provisions in commercial loan documents that contain nonrecourse provisions with specific carveouts. For example, in Aozora Bank, Ltd. v. 1333 North California Boulevard, 119 Cal. App. 4 th 1291 (2004), the jury at the trial court level had found the defendant borrower liable for approximately $395,000 in …

What is an example of an attorneys'fees provision?

An attorney fee clause breaks the default fee rule and identifies which party must pay the other party’s (or parties’) lawyers’ fees and other costs and expenses. When two or more parties enter into a contract, they may designate, within the legal document, who pays for legal costs, like attorneys’ fees, if a lawsuit is brought.

Are attorneys'fees included in costs and expenses?

In the event that any suit or action is instituted to enforce any provision in this Agreement, the prevailing party in such dispute shall be entitled to recover from the losing party all fees, costs and expenses of enforcing any right of such prevailing party under or with respect to this Agreement, including without limitation, such reasonable fees and expenses of attorneys and …

Do you have an attorneys'fees provision in your contract?

Jul 14, 2020 · Flat Rate Legal Fees. Flat rate legal fees are when an attorney charges a flat rate for a set legal task. The fee is the same regardless of the number of hours spent or the outcome of the case. Flat rates are increasingly popular and more and more attorneys are willing to offer them to clients.

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What is a fee provision?

An attorney fee clause breaks the default fee rule and identifies which party must pay the other party's (or parties') lawyers' fees and other costs and expenses. ... However, a contract can override this default rule and require the losing party to pay for the winning side's fees. This is called a mutual provision.

What is a prevailing party provision?

A “prevailing party” contract clause is a provision that requires the losing par- ty of a lawsuit, claim or other litigation to pay the legal expenses incurred by the prevailing party, including attorney fees.

What is a lawyer's payment called?

retainerIn the United States, an up-front fee paid to a lawyer is called a retainer. Money within the retainer is often used to "buy" a certain amount of work.

What is the opposite of prevailing party?

The party in a lawsuit who obtains a judgment in their own favor. Antonyms. plaintiff defendant.

Who are the contracting parties?

A contract party or contracting party is an individual or business who enters into a binding agreement with another contracting party, thus accepting the obligations, responsibilities, and benefits specified within the agreement.

Are legal fees an expense?

Legal Expenses means attorney fees, court costs, and litigation expenses, if any, including, but not limited to, expert witness fees and court reporter fees.

How much do US lawyers charge per hour?

Throughout the United States, typical attorney fees usually range from about $100 an hour to $400 an hour. These hourly rates will increase with experience and practice area specialization.Aug 17, 2021

How are legal fees calculated?

Eight Steps to Follow When Estimating Legal FeesStep 1: Gather Basic Data. ... Step 2: Test the Estimating System. ... Step 3: Evaluate New Matters Thoroughly. ... Step 4: Develop a Plan for the Matter. ... Step 5: Build the Estimate From the Plan. ... Step 6: Convey the Estimate to the Client. ... Step 7: Reconcile Estimates With Bills.More items...•Jan 7, 2015

What Does An Attorneys' Fees Provision Look like?

What Costs Are included?

  • "Costs" refer to filing fees, fees for serving the summons, complaint, and other court papers, fees to pay a court reporter to transcribe depositions (pretrial interviews of witnesses) and in-court testimony, and, if a jury is involved, to pay the daily stipend of jurors. Often costs to photocopy court papers and exhibits are also included. (Typically, court costs are paid by the parties to the …
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Watch Out For One-Way Attorneys' Fees Provisions

  • Under a mutual provision, such as the example above, the party that wins the lawsuit is awarded attorneys' fees. This is fair and encourages the quick resolution of lawsuits. However, a "one-way provision" allows only one of the parties to receive attorneys' fees, usually the party with the better bargaining position. One-way provisions, no matter which side they favor, create an uneven playi…
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Judicial Enforcement of Attorneys' Fees Provisions

  • Just because you include an attorneys' fees provision in your contract, you shouldn't assume that the clause will be enforced if a lawsuit arises and one side tries to get their legal costs reimbursed by the other. Courts are allowed to judge contrac...
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Secured Claims in Bankruptcy

  • In bankruptcy, creditors are generally classified as having either a "secured" or "unsecured" claim. A secured claim is supported by the value of collateral securing repayment of the claim, while an unsecured claim is not supported by collateral. An ...
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Under-Secured and Unsecured Claims in Bankruptcy

  • Having an over-secured claim is the best way to recover a debt. But even if you have an under-secured claim (i.e., the collateral is worth less than the debt) or an unsecured claim (i.e., no collateral), you still may claim your legal fees. In bankruptcy courts in North Carolina, if a lender's loan documents contain an attorney's fees provision, then the lender may file a claim for post-pe…
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"Reasonable" Legal Fees in Bankruptcy

  • In North Carolina, a lender's right to recover legal fees depends on its loan documents. If your loan agreement or promissory note allows recovery for legal fees, then you can recover them if you comply with certain statutory requirements. Outside of bankruptcy, recovery is set at 15% of the debt when you sue your borrower. In bankruptcy, however, the court will not automatically rewar…
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