 Gellers was representing the Passamaquoddy pursuant to a 10% contingency fee agreement.Gellers, in turn, had assigned 40% of his fee to Bottomly.As the negotiations of the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act were reaching a close in May 1978, even though neither Gellers nor Bottomly had performed any further work for the tribes, Bottomly filed suit in the District of Maine claiming he was entitled to a portion of any eventual settlement.