LegalBillingTools

Contingency Fee Calculator

Split a recovery between attorney fee, case costs, liens and the client’s net, on either a gross or net fee basis.

Last reviewed

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Free · No sign-up · Runs in your browser

The most consequential clause in a contingency agreement is not the percentage. It is whether the percentage is applied before or after case costs are deducted, and that single choice can move the client’s net by thousands of dollars on the same recovery.

This calculator runs both bases so the difference is visible, and reports each party’s share as a percentage of the gross recovery.

Your numbers

Results update as you type. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Result

Client net recovery

$123,675

Attorney fee

$83,325

Basis applied
Fee calculated on gross recovery
Fee calculated on
$250,000
Case costs
$28,000
Liens
$15,000
Total deductions
$126,325
Client share of gross
49.47%
Attorney share of gross
33.33%

This tool performs arithmetic on the values you enter. It does not provide legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Whether the fee is taken before or after case costs changes the client’s net materially. The fee agreement controls which applies.

Contingency percentages, cost handling and lien resolution are all regulated differently by jurisdiction, and some case types cap the percentage by statute.

How to use the contingency fee calculator

  1. Enter the gross recovery amount.
  2. Enter the contingency percentage from the fee agreement.
  3. Enter case costs advanced and any liens to be satisfied.
  4. Choose whether the fee is calculated before or after costs, and compare.

What people use this for

  • Explaining a settlement distribution to a client.
  • Comparing two fee agreements with the same headline percentage.
  • Modelling a settlement before accepting it.
  • Preparing a disbursement statement.

Worked examples

Every figure below is produced by running this calculator against the example inputs, so the numbers always match the tool.

Fee on the gross recovery

A $250,000 recovery at 33.33%, with $28,000 of case costs and a $15,000 lien, fee calculated on the gross.

Client net recovery
$123,675
Attorney fee
$83,325
Client share of gross
49.47%

Fee after costs are deducted

The identical recovery with the fee calculated on the net after case costs.

Client net recovery
$133,007
Attorney fee
$73,993
Basis applied
Fee calculated after costs

Gross basis versus net basis

On a $250,000 recovery with $28,000 of costs, a one-third fee calculated on the gross is $83,325. Calculated after costs it is $74,001 - a difference of over $9,000 flowing to the client, from the same percentage on the same recovery.

Both approaches are used, and both are legitimate where properly disclosed. What matters is that the client understands which one the agreement uses before signing it, not after the settlement arrives.

Liens come out of the client’s share

Medical liens, statutory liens, subrogation claims and prior-counsel liens are all satisfied from the recovery, and in most structures they reduce the client’s net rather than the fee.

Lien resolution is frequently negotiable, and a reduction negotiated with a lienholder goes directly to the client. On many matters that negotiation is worth more to the client than the difference between the two fee bases.

Methodology and assumptions

What this calculator does, and what it deliberately does not do.

  • The fee base is either the gross recovery or the recovery after case costs, depending on the option selected.
  • The client net is the recovery minus the fee, minus case costs, minus liens.
  • Contingency percentages, cost handling and lien resolution are regulated differently by jurisdiction, and some case types cap the percentage by statute.
  • The tool performs arithmetic or date counting on the values you enter. It does not interpret a rule, a statute or a contract.
  • Nothing you type is transmitted or stored - the calculation runs entirely inside your browser.

This website provides general informational and productivity tools and does not provide legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.

The date and deadline tools count days exactly as you instruct them. They do not interpret court rules, statutes of limitation, filing requirements or any other legal authority, and they do not know the rules of your jurisdiction.

Always verify any date, fee, or calculation against the governing rule, the court calendar and your own professional judgement. If you need legal advice, consult a lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

Which basis is more common?

Both are used and it varies by jurisdiction and practice area. Some jurisdictions regulate which may be used, and some require specific disclosure of the difference.

Are contingency percentages capped?

In some jurisdictions and some case types, yes - medical malpractice and workers’ compensation frequently carry statutory limits. Check the rules that apply.

Who pays case costs if the case is lost?

That depends entirely on the fee agreement. Some firms absorb them; others require the client to reimburse regardless of outcome. It must be disclosed.

Is this a settlement statement?

No. It calculates a distribution from figures you enter. An actual disbursement statement has content and disclosure requirements that differ by jurisdiction.

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