There are two ways that lawyers get paid, as nearly everyone but Trump knows. In personal injury cases and some other torts, the attorney and client can make an agreement beforehand that the attorney will receive a percentage of the judgment. These are almost always cases in which some form of award is certain. For example, if a UPS truck runs a red light, hits a plastic surgeon’s Porshe, and crushes the surgeon’s hands. There is a good chance that UPS will be forced to pay the plaintiff some money.

And attorneys get paid by the hour, even if the attorney tells the client there is almost no way to win. If the client says he wants to do it anyway, the client will pay for the time spent losing. This is precisely why attorneys get that money up front and holds it until the money is earned.

Trump and Rudy must have had a misunderstanding as to payment. Rudy believed he was being paid by the hour. Trump believed that Rudy would get a portion of the money that Joe Biden would pay Trump for losing the presidency. In other words, Trump was not paying Rudy a dime either way. He might have paid Rudy with a pardon if certain conditions were met. He was not paying with money under any circumstances.

Rudy is upset and, just this once, we think he might have a point: According to the London Times:

“Trump is annoyed that [Giuliani] tried to get paid for his election challenge work.”

Evidently, the Trump family has separated themselves from Rudy since Rudy started talking about the money they owe him. The fact that Rudy began working for Trump at all without money in his trust account proves he is unfit to practice law. If his judgment is that bad, he cannot responsibility represent anyone. He failed to represent himself!

However, on this one, we believe we can help Rudy out. We know how he can get paid, at least recoup some of the money for his efforts. We believe Rudy should sign a book contract, this afternoon, one in which he turns over his timesheets for all the work he did for Trump and describe that work in vivid detail. True, Rudy may admit to a few dozen felonies, though we’re sure the details can be worked out with the FBI, so long as Rudy agrees to read his book to a jury.

Hell, we might even buy that book, or offer to listen as a juror. Gotta help a guy out.

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