Washington, DC—Today the nation's first comprehensive study of the out-of-court programs that resolve lawyer-client fee disputes ranked Maryland's fee arbitration system 38th in the nation, issuing the state's systems a D-minus. 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, ranking 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. "Maryland has a program that's meant to help clients and lawyers resolve everyday fee disputes, but unfortunately the state's rules allow lawyers to reject a client's request to settle the conflict through arbitration—forcing many consumers to take their cases to court."

HALT also criticized the state's lack of publicity of its fee arbitration system. The American Bar Association's latest study found that Maryland is one of the few states that fails to advertise its system in public venues, such as local courthouses.

In addition, unlike fee arbitration programs in most states, Maryland rules prohibit lay persons from serving on the panels that decide lawyer-client fee disputes. "The Maryland bar's sole reliance on lawyers to resolve lawyer-client fee disputes adds to the public's perception that the fee arbitration system is of the lawyers, by the lawyers and for the lawyers," explained Blonder.

The District of Columbia took the nation's top honors on the Report Card. HALT praised D.C.'s fee arbitration system as being the most even-handed, convenient and well-publicized program in the country. Still, HALT found room for improvement even in the District. The top five jurisdictions, including D.C., scored no higher than a B average. Three states—New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia—flunked outright. 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.