The average contingency rate falls between 20-40%, with most lawyers charging around 33% to 35% of the total amount recovered in a case. The exact percentage can vary depending on the complexity of the case, the lawyer's experience, and the stage at which the case is resolved.
Typically, each party is responsible for paying for their own legal fees in Massachusetts. Indeed, Massachusetts adheres to the “American Rule,” which holds that each party to a lawsuit is responsible for their own lawyer's charges, regardless of the outcome of the case.
The private right of action under Massachusetts Civil Rights Act (MCRA) § 11I explicitly provides for recovery of reasonable attorney fees for “any aggrieved … persons who prevail in an action” under the MCRA.
“The usual rule in Massachusetts is to prohibit successful litigants from recovering their attorney's fees and expenses except in a very limited class of cases. This rule is known as the "American Rule." See Waldman v. American Honda Motor Co., 413 Mass. 320, 321-323, 597 N.E.2d 404 (1992).