Attorneys generally charge their clients in one of three ways: (1) an agreed hourly rate, times the number of hours the attorney spends on the matter; (2) a contingent fee, in which the attorney receives a percentage of the amount recovered or received by the client in the matter; or (3) a fixed-fee in which the attorney charges an agreed amount (often with some or all of the fee paid before work begins). If the attorney is charging on an hourly basis, he may require a fee deposit (sometimes called a retainer) to secure payment of the hourly fees. The client may be required to replenish this fee deposit. The attorney must hold the unearned fee deposit in her trust account until she does the work and is entitled to some or all of the payment. If there is a fee dispute between the attorney and client, and the attorney and client are unable to resolve the dispute, many state bar associations offer optional (and sometimes mandatory) fee dispute resolution procedures.

In Iowa, attorneys typically charge clients using one of three fee structures: hourly rates, contingent fees, or fixed fees. An hourly rate is calculated by multiplying the attorney's agreed-upon hourly fee by the time spent on the client's case. A contingent fee arrangement involves the attorney receiving a predetermined percentage of the client's recovery in the case, which means the attorney only gets paid if the client wins or settles the matter. Fixed fees are set amounts charged for specific legal services, and these fees are often paid upfront. When an attorney charges by the hour, they may require a retainer, which is a fee deposit that secures payment for future services. This retainer must be replenished if it runs low, according to the agreement between the attorney and the client. Unearned retainer fees are held in the attorney's trust account until the attorney earns them through work performed. In the event of a fee dispute, the Iowa State Bar Association provides fee dispute resolution services to help resolve disagreements between attorneys and clients over legal fees.