An agreement whereby an attorney is being hired on the basis that he or she will receive a legal fee from the client only in the event that the claim is successful and the client was awarded monetary relief The contingent fee agreement may also lay out other details such as who is responsible for the costs of the case and how any money collected for the client is to be distributed. Case costs include such things as court fees, copies, expert witness fees, deposition fees, mailing costs, travel, et cetera.