Back during the Hulk Hogan lawsuit against Gawker, one of the accusations that came out against Hulk Hogan was that he completely stiffed his divorce lawyer because he didn’t like how much money he was forced to pay in the divorce, despite still being able to pay his lawyer back.
You would think a lawyer would be able to figure out a way to sue to get their money back but looking online it doesn’t seem like this issue was settled at all. So can somebody with money find a way to never or at least delay indefinitely having to pay their lawyer without having to go into bankruptcy?
There are, of course, various tricks to hide money out of the reach of your creditors (such as offshore trusts, or O.J. Simpson’s trick of putting his fortune into an expensive Florida home that was exempt from forced sale under the state’s homestead laws). Problem is: If the rich man is smart enough to think of such tricks, then most likely his lawyer is too. It’s standard business for lawyers to find ways for their clients to secure monetary claims (e.g. by demanding advance payments or taking collateral, e.g. in the form of a mortgage or an assignment of rights); surely they will be able to do the same for their own claims.
Can you stiff you lawyer? Probably, but is it smart? Failure to pay your lawyer seems like an awfully efficient way to make sure you’re going to need a lawyer tomorrow while simultaneously making sure you can not hire one.
But seriously, any assets you have can be attached if you don’t pay your debts. (With exceptions like principal residence, in Florida). Most likely they came to a quiet settlement. Don’t know which states have tribunals to argue lawyer bills, vs. open court - but a lawyer does not really want a public trial where his defence is “I’m not really incompetent, honest…” It’s in both their interests to settle the disagreement quietly.
Part of “Bubba the Love Sponges” counter-suit against Hogan that was part of the whole Gawker deal included claims that Hogan failed to pay his divorce lawyer who also happened to represent Bubba as well.