The Resolution of Fee Disputes Board, created by the Supreme Court under Rule 416, SCACR, resolves fee, cost and disbursement disputes between clients and Bar members, providing a vital service to both the bar and public.

Bar staff screens and forwards client applications to Circuit Chairs who assign the cases to local Board members. These volunteer attorneys promptly and professionally mediate, investigate and, if need be, arbitrate the disputes, preventing billing differences from spiraling into unnecessary litigation, grievance proceedings or poor public relations. The Board currently consists of almost 200 attorneys appointed by the Bar President for staggered three-year terms collectively handling about 100 cases annually -- less than one case per member per year on average.

Frequently Asked Questions by Attorneys

Frequently Asked Questions by Clients

Rules of Professional Conduct
(scroll to Rule 407, SCACR)
Rule 1.5
(listing factors determining reasonableness of a fee)

Fee Dispute Rules - Amended March 2016 Fee Dispute Application
Staff Contact

Pauline Freire
pfreire@scbar.org
(803) 799-6653, ext.190