Law Firm Representing Itself Is Not Eligible for Fee Award

The most recent edition of the ABA/BNA Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct has a number of interesting new items, including an article on a case where the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that a trial court may not award attorneys' fees to a law firm that used its own lawyers to litigate a fee dispute with a former client. (Frank Settelmeyer & Sons Inc. v. Smith & Harmer Ltd., Nev., No. 45180, 12/24/08). The Court pointed out that litigants are only entitled to reimbursement for their attorneys' fees if they are genuinely obligated to pay those fees. Lawyers who represent themselves have no such obligation. You can find the article online if you have a subscription to the ABA/BNA service. In print, the cite is 25 Law. Man. Prof. Conduct 7.