Mahoney v. Bergin

Citations

• 41 Cal. 423

Syllabus

<p>Agreement Between Client and Attorney.—An agreement made by an attorney with a client to render Ms professional services “in the Courts of this State,” in actions to test the validity of the client’s title to certain real estate, in consideration of a conveyance by the client to the attorney of a portion of the land, does not bind the attorney to render his services in an action brought to test the validity of the same title in the Circuit Court of the United States for this State.</p> <p>Idem.—If such agreement was fair and free from fraud, and the land conveyed by the client a reasonable fee for the services agreed to be rendered, the attorney will not be compelled to reconvey the land, upon the payment of a reasonable fee for his services rendered, because, by reason of the suit in the Circuit Court, the client compromised with the opposing parties, and paid a large sum of money to acquire opposing claims; and the attorney . was not compelled to render the full amount of services expected.</p>