The Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct (“the Rules”) govern, among other things, the fees that Texas attorneys may charge. Under Rule 1.04(a),
A lawyer shall not enter into an arrangement for, charge, or collect an illegal fee or unconscionable fee. A fee is unconscionable if a competent lawyer could not form a reasonable belief that the fee is reasonable.
Thus, according to the Rules, a lawyer’s fee is either reasonable, illegal, or unconscionable. It cannot be unreasonable in the disciplinary context!
Given Texas consumer statutes that sanction unconscionable conduct, attorneys are forewarned to charge reasonable rates or else!
