Personal attorney contingency fees can vary determining on the skill and ability of the lawyer that you retain. Often times more complicated cases will demand higher percentages as an incentive for a lawyer to take them. Under CA law, a lawyer cannot charge more than 40 percent of the contingency as his fee, otherwise, he will be subject to the BAR for a violation of fiduciary duties and you may have a claim against him for malpractice. However, all fee agreements are negotiable so do you best to lower your percentage before you sign your lawyer on to your case. If it is a relatively simple case with no complicated legal issues, you may be able to find a lawyer to take for anywhere around 33 and 1/3 percent of your settlement. In large settlements, that 6 and 2/3 percent can mean all the difference!