THE RECORD - New York City Bar Association

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M I N O R I T Y R E P R E S E N T A T I O N A N D R E T E N T I O N Frank Acquilla Mark R. Baker Eileen Bannon Mark E. Brossman John J. Cannon, III John W. Carr Cameron Clark Gordon J. Davis Carl A. DeBrito Francis J. Aquila L. Robert Batterman Mark Edward Brossman Peter van Zandt Cobb Laurence Edward Cranch Stephen J. Dannhauser David Emison John F. Fritts Walter G. Gans John H. Hall Merrikay S. Hall Charles J. Hamilton, Jr. Thomas E. Heftler Task Force on Minorities Vaughn C. Williams, Chair William Escobar, Vice Chair Ronald A. Gray, Vice Chair William F. Gorin Stephen Greene Antonia M. Grumbach Clifford Haye Yukako Kawata Parkin Lee Cecilia Lofters Andrew McDonald John F. Pritchard Committee to Enhance Diversity in the Profession Ned B. Stiles, Chair Lawrence B. Friedman, Secretary David William Heleniak Mel Immergut Richard D. Katcher Jim G. Kilpatric Nancy A. Kilson David Klingsberg Frederick Z. Lodge Cecilia O'Brien Lofters John S. May Michael J. McLaughlin John P. McMahon Francis J. Morison Vincent Pagano, Jr. T H E R E C O R D 180 Carlos A. Rodriguez Marsha E. Simms William Sloane Jonathan A. Small David C. Siegfried Deborah Torres Lisa A. Whitney Rowan D. Wilson Louise Marie Parent John Frederick Pritchard James Warwick Rayhill Carl Lewis Reisner Rachel F. Robbins Thomas R. Smith, Jr. Samuel Sugden Irene Ann Sullivan Cyrus R. Vance Nora Ann Wallace Solomon B. Watson, IV Rowan D. Wilson Susan Winter
A Suggestion for a More Equitable Retaining Lien Committees on Professional Responsibility and Professional Discipline ew York, like many states, has a statutory charging lien permitting attorneys to satisfy unpaid fees and expenses incurred on behalf of a client from the litigation proceeds resulting from that representation. 1 NBy contrast, the retaining lien, which permits an attorney to retain client files until fees and expenses are paid, remains an uncodified feature of the common law in New York. As such, the retaining lien in New York is poorly defined, poorly regulated, and sometimes abused. In this joint report, we propose that the attorney’s retaining lien be embodied in a statute, with significant clarifications as to the scope of the lien and the circumstances under which it can be used and challenged. Retaining liens are an unusual legal device. The retaining lien permits an attorney pursuing a fee to disrupt the client’s litigation effort. “Except for the fact that a lawyer has a legal right to do so, asserting a retaining lien would be extortionate.” 2 As stated in one recent decision, “[t]he lien is valuable in proportion as denial of access to the papers causes 1. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 475. 2. C. Wolfram, Modern Legal Ethics 560 (2d ed. 1986). M A R C H / A P R I L 1 9 9 9 ◆ V O L. 5 4, N O. 2 181
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THE RECORD - New York City Bar Association

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