Model Rule 1.5(e)NC
North Carolina fee division
North Carolina tracks the Model Rule. Two lawyers may divide a fee if the split matches the work or each takes joint responsibility, you agree to the arrangement including each share, that agreement is confirmed in writing, and the total is reasonable.
Last checked Sep 4, 2026 · LawyerUnc editorial. Educational only, not legal advice.
- The rule
- N.C. R. Prof. Cond. 1.5(e)
- What you sign
- The client agrees to the arrangement, including the share each lawyer will receive, and the agreement is confirmed in writing. The total fee is reasonable.
- How the split is allowed
- Proportion to services performed, or each lawyer assumes joint responsibility for the representation.
- Any cap on the referring share
- No Florida-style 25% cap. The total fee must be reasonable. Contributory negligence can still zero an injury case. That is a different rule, on the crash page.
- Who is not in the fee
- A nonlawyer does not take a percentage of the recovery. Hosting, ads, and software get a flat or metered bill. That is ABA Model Rule 5.4 in substance, and every state on this desk follows it.
For the lawyer on the other end
North Carolina 1.5(e) is the ABA text. Do not import Louisiana's meaningful-services requirement or Massachusetts' named referral fee.
A 1% contributory finding is the crash problem. It does not rewrite this fee rule.