[petegrif]

That does not make sense.

Lawyers who are taking contingency cases have no incentive to 'escalate conflicts.' Their only interest is to make their case and reach a settlement.

Ironically, it is in cases where lawyers are paid hourly that they have an interest to 'escalate conflicts' to draw cases out and keep drawing fees.

[dragonwriter]

Escalating conflict may be a way of increasing the perceived uncertainty, cost, and risk to the other party, and thus increasing the likelihood and size of a settlement to make the case go away, so there may be an incentive to escalate conflict with contingency. Its probably less than with hourly fees, and more than with flat-rate fees (which ISTR are occasionally offered by some for some things like simple divorces.)