Fla. Attorney General Seeks to Cap Fees for Outside Counsel
By Jordana Mishory
Daily Business Review
March 11, 2009
It's rare for public officials to push legislation that would limit their own powers, but Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has drafted companion bills that would do just that. Senate Bill 1370 and House Bill 215 would limit the attorney general's authority to contract with private attorneys for litigation and impose a contingency fee cap of $50 million.
McCollum wants to maximize the amount of money that goes into state coffers instead of lawyers' pockets in big verdicts and settlements, and business groups have thrown their support behind the proposals. Deputy Attorney General Joe Jacquot said the bill would codify procedures the office already follows before "something happens down the road." McCollum has not hired any attorneys on a contingency fee basis since he took office.
