Action for recovery of fees

(1) An attorney may not commence any suit for the recovery from his client of any fees for any legal business done by him until the expiration of one month after he has served on the client a bill of those fees, the bill either being signed by the attorney, or in the case of a partnership by any one of the partners either in his own name or in the name of the partnership, or being enclosed in or accompanied by a letter signed in like manner referring to the bill, but if there is reasonable cause for believing that the client is about to leave Belize, or to become bankrupt, or to do any other act which would tend to prevent or delay the attorney from obtaining payment, the court may, on the application of an attorney-at-law, authorise him to commence or proceed with an action to recover his fees. (2) If in any proceedings before a court– (a) the amount set out in the bill of fees is– (i) sought to be recovered; or (ii) disputed; and (b) the bill or part thereof relates to matters in respect of which no scale of fees is prescribed, the court shall decide whether the fees set out in respect of those matters are fair and reasonable having regard to the work done or are excessive and shall allow or reduce them accordingly. 29