Washington, DC—Today the nation's first comprehensive study of the out-of-court programs that resolve lawyer-client fee disputes ranked Georgia's fee arbitration system 10th in the nation and issued the state's system a C+ grade. To spur reform of these important but under-utilized forums, legal consumer watchdog group HALT — An Organization of Americans for Legal Reform released its 2007 Fee Arbitration Report Card, analyzing programs in all 50 states and D.C.

"The most pervasive complaint about lawyers is that their fees are too high for the work done," stated HALT Senior Counsel Suzanne M. Blonder. "Georgia's program helps clients and lawyers resolve everyday fee disputes."

The State Bar of Georgia received high marks for its user-friendly online resources about fee arbitration. HALT also praised the system's reliance on non-lawyers to help decide lawyer-client fee disputes. "To promote an even playing field, it's critical that non-lawyers have a part in deciding fee disputes," explained Blonder.

While the Report Card found much to applaud in Georgia's system, it also noted areas for reform. In particular, HALT pointed to Georgia's policy of allowing lawyers to refuse a client's request to participate in the system. "If a lawyer can roundly reject a client's request to resolve a fee dispute through this mechanism, the client is left with no other option but to sue the lawyer in court, which can often prove cost-prohibitive," stated Blonder.

HALT's Report Card graded states in six categories: (1) whether lawyers must participate in arbitration at a client's request; (2) the ease of initiating arbitration; (3) the amount of publicity of the state's fee arbitration system; (4) the program's reliance on non-lawyer arbitrators; (5) whether non-binding mediation is offered as an alternative to arbitration; and (6) how the system enforces arbitration awards.

The top five states—D.C., Maine, New Jersey, New York and California—scored no higher than a B average. Three states—New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia—flunked. Another eight received Incompletes because they do not offer statewide systems to settle lawyer-client fee disputes.

"In an era of skyrocketing lawyer fees, we hope Georgia officials will reform the state's fee arbitration program because all Americans should be able to challenge a lawyer's bill in a low-cost, efficient forum," stated Blonder.