Bucks County, Pennsylvania, has engaged the national plaintiffs’ law firm Baron & Budd P.C. under a contingency-fee contract to represent the county in litigation efforts. This decision was formalized through a legal services agreement obtained via a public records request.
Baron & Budd P.C., based in Dallas, is known for representing state and local governments in significant mass tort and public nuisance cases. These include litigation involving asbestos, opioids, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and climate-related claims, as indicated by court records and the firm’s disclosures.
The agreement stipulates that Baron & Budd will receive a contingency fee amounting to 25% of any gross recovery achieved through settlement, arbitration, or court judgment. If Bucks County does not secure a recovery, no attorneys’ fees or litigation costs are owed to the firm.
According to a July 2025 white paper by the Washington Legal Foundation authored by former Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, there are legal and policy concerns regarding municipalities retaining private law firms for public-interest litigation. The paper suggests that contingency-fee arrangements could potentially diminish transparency and weaken taxpayer oversight.
The contract allows Baron & Budd to advance litigation costs and expenses such as expert witness fees, investigation costs, and document management expenses. These are reimbursable only from any recovery; if there is no recovery, Bucks County is not obligated to reimburse these costs.
Additionally, the agreement grants Baron & Budd a lien on any settlement or judgment proceeds resulting from the litigation. Attorneys’ fees are calculated before deducting costs and expenses, with payments to the firm limited to the monetary portion of any recovery.
