Generally speaking, there are two different types of fees charged by attorneys. One type of fee is an hourly fee, where the attorney charges a set fee for the actual time that the attorney spends on your case. With an hourly fee agreement, the client pays the attorney whether the case is ultimately won or lost (i.e. the fee is NOT contingent upon the case being won). The second type of fee is a contingency fee, where the attorney charges a fee only if the case is won through a settlement or a jury verdict. Usually the contingency fee is a percentage of the ultimate recovery. Most attorneys charge a contingency fee between 33.33% and 40%. Most law firms will give their clients a choice as to which type of fee the clients wish.