WPC "Isl5mV;FQbG'_!9i-&ݣܽ YSb#R-llkDR^Ι 5oTc7o#N8:'=@@{Z@rIw,KU:w?gj%#-a \sdIgcGI#0Hwx YW,[t ދwYƝ#&!$ thefeeitnowseekstohavedivided.Wolff_Ardis_ԀbenefittedfromMr._Cheatham_sattorneyclient *'z"% relationshipwiththeplaintiffs,bytheresearchheconductedontheirbehalftodeterminewhatother (f#& lawyer(s)toemployinthecase,* +#  1      ׀andbyhiscontinuedworkonthecaseupuntilthepointhewas )R$' allowedtowithdrawfromthelitigation.#XEQXXXEQ#XEQXXXEQԀWolff_Ardis_ԀalsobenefittedfromMr._Cheatham_sability )>%( toperformaslocalcounsel.Clearly,Wolff_Ardis_ԀneededlocalcounselinNashville:hencethe  associationofBassBerry&SimsafterMr._Cheatham_swithdrawal.Thus,Ithinkthatthetheory  ofquantum_meruit_Ԁrequiresustoquantify,insomefashion,thevalueofallofthebenefitsMr.  _Cheatham_ԀconferredonWolff_Ardis_. t   Themajoritystatesthat wedonotbelievethatinthecircumstancesofthiscasea L  mathematicalsolutionwouldcomportwiththeequitiesinvolved.However,anonmathematical 8  approachinevitablyleadstoanarbitrarycalculationofhowtodivideafinitenumberofdollars. $ t Giventhatthefeeinthiscasewasdeterminedonthebasisofapercentageoftherecovery,andgiven  ` thatallofthelawfirmsinvolvedintendedthateachoftheirsharesofthefeewouldbedetermined  L  onapercentagebasis,apercentageofthefeebasedonthevalueofthebenefitthatMr._Cheatham_  8  conferredonWolff_Ardis_Ԁseemstometheproperapplicationofquantum_meruit_Ԁtothiscase. $  Accordingly,Iconcludethat_Denty_Ԁ_Cheatham_Ԁisentitledtoaspecificpercentageofthecontingency   fee.#XEQXXXEQP#Furthermore,althoughthemajorityfocusesonthevalueofMr._Cheatham_slegalservicesinthe   contextofwhetherhisfeeis reasonablewithintheparameterssetforthinDisciplinaryRule2106,   IthinkthatweshouldalsoconsiderDisciplinaryRule2107,whichsetsforththeparametersforthe   divisionoffeesamonglawyers.Afterall,itisthedivisionofthesinglecontingencyfeebetween p Mr._Cheatham_ԀandWolff_Ardis_Ԁwhichisatissue.0 +#  2       \   DisciplinaryRule2107provides,inpertinentpart,thatthedivisionofthefeeshouldbe 4 made inproportiontotheservicesperformedandresponsibilityassumedbyeach[lawyer].There  p isnoquestionbutthat,intheproductsliabilitylitigation,Wolff_Ardis_Ԁperformedsubstantiallymore  \ servicesandundertookmoreresponsibilitythandidMr._Cheatham_.Thedivisionofthefeeshould H reflectthatinequality.Indeed,wemaylooktoWolff_Ardis_apparentestimationtoassistusin 4 determininghowgreattheinequalitywas.AfterMr._Cheatham_Ԁwithdrewfromtheproductsliability   case,Wolff_Ardis_ԀassociatedBassBerry&Simsaslocalcounsel, toassumetheroleand   responsibilitiespreviouslyundertakenbyMr._Cheatham_.- +#  3      ׀Wolff_Ardis_ԀagreedtopayBassBerry  &SimsafeeofsevenandonehalfpercentofthefeeeventuallyrecoveredbyWolff_Ardis_.Bass  BerryandSimsspent850hoursontheproductsliabilitylawsuit.Accordingtothetrialcourt,_Denty_  _Cheatham_Ԁspent atleast1,500hoursinhisrepresentationofplaintiffs.IfWolff_Ardis_Ԁconsidered l 850hoursworthsevenandonehalfpercentoftheirfee,Iwouldconcludethatfifteenpercentisa X  reasonableestimationofthevalueofthebenefitconferredbyalmosttwicethatmanyhours.,h +#  4      ׀ D!   0"    However,Mr._Cheatham_sservicesandresponsibilitiesweregreaterinscopeattheoutset   ofthislitigationthanwerethoseofBassBerry&Simswhenthatfirmwasemployed,becauseMr.  _Cheatham_Ԁinitiallyheldtheprimaryattorneyclientrelationship.Indeed,thetrialcourtnotedthat   [_t]here_Ԁwasauniquerelationshipbetween_Cheatham_ԀandplaintiffssinceMrs.Johnsonworkedfor t himandclearlyrelieduponhiscounselandguidance.Everylawyerunderstandsthevalueand ` significanceoftheattorneyclientrelationshipandhowthatrelationshipfostersthesuccessful L  conclusionofanycourseoflegalrepresentation.Inmyopinion,Mr._Cheatham_sshareofthelegal 8  feeshouldbeincreasedtosomeextentonthebasisofhisservicesandresponsibilitiesinfostering $ t andmaintainingthiscrucialrelationshipattheoutsetofthelitigation./ +#  5      ׀  `   Inlightoftheforegoing,IwouldestablishMr._Cheatham_sportionofthefeeattwenty  8  percentofthetotalfee,foratotalfeetohimof$284,544.51(plusinterest),withtheremainderof $  thefeegoingtoWolff_Ardis_Ԁ(subjecttothatfirmsagreementwithBassBerry&Sims).   0  0` (#(#0 ` (#` (#0 (# (#0h(#(#0h(#h(# (#(#    `     h   0  __________________________________4(#(#    `     h     DAVIDH.WELLES,SPECIAL_JUDGE_