No Win No Fee in the United States
In the United States, "no win no fee" is known as a contingency fee arrangement. Your attorney receives a percentage of your recovery — typically 33% to 40% — only if your case succeeds. If you lose, you owe no attorney fees. Contingency fees are legal in all 50 states and are most commonly used in personal injury, medical malpractice, employment, and class action cases.
Researching the UK instead? Compare with UK Conditional Fee Agreements or read our guide to UK no win no fee law. All US content is written and reviewed by our US-qualified editorial team.
Understanding Contingency Fees
Direct Answer: Contingency fees are the US equivalent of no win no fee. The attorney is paid only if the case succeeds, taking a pre-agreed percentage (typically 33⅓%–40%) of the recovery. Contingency representation is standard in personal injury, medical malpractice, employment law, mass tort, and class action cases nationwide.
What Is a Contingency Fee?
Complete explainer of contingency fee arrangements
Read moreHow Contingency Fees Work
Step-by-step from intake to settlement
Read moreContingency Fee Agreements
What your retainer should contain
Read moreAre Contingency Fees Regulated?
State bar rules and Model Rules
Read moreCosts vs Fees
The critical distinction most people miss
Read moreAlternative Fee Arrangements
Hybrid, flat fee, and hourly comparisons
Read moreLegal Glossary
50+ legal terms explained in plain English
Read morePractice Areas
Personal Injury
Auto accidents, slip and fall, premises liability
Medical Malpractice
Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, birth injuries
Workers' Compensation
Workplace injuries and occupational illness
Employment Law
Wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment
Class Action
Consumer, securities, and antitrust class actions
Mass Tort
MDL, pharmaceutical, and environmental litigation
Product Liability
Defective products, strict liability claims
Civil Rights
Section 1983, police misconduct, § 1988 fee-shifting
Social Security Disability
SSDI and SSI claims and appeals
Wrongful Death
Fatal accident and survivor claims
Car Accident
Motor vehicle collision claims
Truck Accident
Commercial vehicle and 18-wheeler accidents
Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle collision claims
Uber & Lyft Accident
Rideshare accident claims
Dog Bite
Dog bite liability and strict liability claims
Construction Accident
Workplace injuries on construction sites
Nursing Home Abuse
Elder abuse and neglect in care facilities
Sexual Abuse
Civil lawsuits for sexual abuse survivors
Mesothelioma & Asbestos
Asbestos exposure and mesothelioma claims
Data Breach
Data breach class actions and privacy claims
Consumer Protection
FDCPA, TCPA, FCRA fee-shifting claims
Insurance Bad Faith
Denial of valid insurance claims
Lemon Law
Defective vehicle consumer protections
Veterans Claims
VA disability claims and appeals