- Hodge v Neinstein, 2015 ONSC 7345
[78] The appellants seek a declaration that any contingency agreement entered into by Neinstein & Associates with a client in which the firm has an entitlement to take any portion of costs in addition to a fee is unenforceable. Making such a determination is a question of law. Since there is evidence that this was a term of Neinstein & Associate’s standard form precedents, there is a factual foundation for it on the record. The determination of whether the agreements are unenforceable does not require a finding of breach of fiduciary duty within each lawyer and client relationship. Rather, the question would be whether entering into such an agreement without getting approval of the court, in and of itself, renders the agreement unenforceable. The only individual analysis required would be for each member of the class to be party to an agreement containing such a clause. Such a term can be built into the definition of the class. This would be a question common to all members of the class and one which would advance the interests of all members.
http://www.slaw.ca/2015/12/23/wednesday-whats-hot-on-canlii-146/