Question From Reader About Attorneys Fees

I often get questions from readers, including attorneys, to which I do not feel able to respond fully and accurately.  In such cases, I post the questions and invite answers for the benefit of the reader and myself. Here is one such inquiry:

"As a fairly experienced workers’ comp. attorney and a relative "newbie" as a bankruptcy practitioner (2 years), I have a question regarding debtor attorney fees. Obviously aware of Bethea and related decisions on the issue, would the courts be receptive to a fee agreement allowing debtor attorney fees to be paid out of a client’s future workers’ compensation settlement, assuming the client has an open w/c claim at the time of the Petition being filed? Such an agreement would also include language waiving the attorney fee lien for the debtor if attorney is unable to achieve a settlement in the w/c claim. Essentially, the attorney would maintain a lien on exempt proceeds"

I invite responses to the above question.