A no win no fee employment lawyer works on a contingent fee and provides law services to people with employment-related issues. Working on a contingent fee means the lawyer does not collect payment unless the services render a favorable outcome for the client. The laws surrounding this type of payment vary between jurisdictions, with some restrictions to prevent abuse. A no win no fee employment lawyer might deal with sexual harassment in the workplace, wrongful termination, and a plethora of other employment legal issues. Whatever the legal issue, however, these lawyers usually do not take on difficult or time-consuming cases that may not pay off, nor do they offer free appeals.
In many jurisdictions, a no win no fee employment lawyer must ask a certain percentage or less of the damages paid to his or her client if the case is won. For example, if the local law states that no more than 50 percent of the damages can be claimed by the lawyer, the lawyer can ask for 50 percent or less. Some places state that the lawyer cannot ask for more than 100 percent of the damages, but most lawyers do not ask for nearly that much. In addition, it is often outright illegal or considered inappropriate to offer a lawyer 100 percent of the damages. By not claiming any of the damages for herself, the client is usually seeking to raise awareness of the legal issue or punish the other party.
A no win no fee employment lawyer might be hired for any number of reasons. Sexual harassment, wrongful or unexplained termination, or disability discrimination are just some reasons a person might seek legal recourse. Typically, these lawyers deal only with employment issues rather than issues regarding family, criminal, or estate complaints.
Generally, a no win no fee employment lawyer is sought because the client does not have money upfront to pay for a lawyer who bills regardless of whether the case is won. While no win no fee employment lawyers are an advantage in this regard, they usually do not take on cases that do not seem profitable. For example, if it is clear that the potential client’s case will be a time-consuming, expensive legal battle that does not stand a good chance of winning, a no win no fee employment lawyer will usually decline the case. Likewise, such a lawyer will likely refuse to appeal a case he lost unless the odds of winning the appeal seem in his favor.
