1. The division of attorney’s fees between two or more lawyers, esp. between the lawyer who handled a matter and the lawyer who referred the matter. • Some states consider this practice unethical.
2. The division of attorney’s fees between two or more lawyers who represent a client jointly but are not in the same firm. • Under most states’ ethics rules, an attorney is prohibited from splitting a fee with a nonlawyer. — Also termed fee-sharing. [Cases: Attorney and Client 151. C.J.S. Attorney and Client §§ 294, 309–310.]
