In the Matter of the Application of Jane Knapp

Summary

The New York Court of Appeals held that an attorney retains a lien on money received on behalf of a client, even when the client is an executor, for reasonable compensation. The Court reversed the General Term’s order limiting the lien to $1,500 and affirmed the Special Term’s determination that the attorney was entitled to retain $4,000. The decision rests on longstanding common‑law principles and the statutory provision governing attorney compensation.