This website is designed to educate you about the FDRP and to help you make informed choices about whether the FDRP is right for you.

The New York State Court System has established a Statewide Fee Dispute Resolution Program (FDRP) to resolve attorney-client disputes over legal fees through arbitration (and in some cases mediation).

In general, your lawyer may not sue you in court over a fee dispute unless he or she first provided you with notice of your right to utilize the FDRP. Once you have received this notice you have 30 days to decide whether to use the FDRP. If you don’t choose to participate in the FDRP within 30 days, your lawyer is free to pursue the matter in court.

Fee dispute resolution services are provided by local programs throughout New York. The local program is determined by where the majority of legal services were performed. Find your local program and download the local program’s rules and forms.

Please note that the FDRP’s jurisdiction is limited to resolving attorney-client disputes over legal fees.

• The FDRP cannot address claims of lawyer misconduct.
• The FDRP cannot address claims of lawyer malpractice. If you believe that your attorney committed malpractice in your case, you should not utilize the FDRP because it is possible that an arbitration decision against you with regard to the fee dispute could adversely affect your ability to pursue malpractice in court at a later date.

If you believe attorney misconduct or malpractice is present in your case, please find contact information for the appropriate Grievance Committee.