In what started out as an attorney’s attempt to collect $3,500 in fees from a client, the attorney got tagged with a $334,400 fee award to the client after losing in the mandatory fee arbitration proceeding and then not demanding a new trial within the allotted time.  B&P Code 6203 and 6204 provide for one-sided fee awards in an effort to discourage litigation following a mandatory fee arbitration award.  The sections take precedence over any agreement between attorney and client about fee awards in litigation between them over fees.  Section 6203 allows an award of fees incurred in the trial court to the party that is successful in obtaining an order confirming the award, as the client was after reversal on an earlier appeal.  Section 6204 allows a fee award to a party that seeks a new trial after a mandatory fee arbitration award and does better than the award; otherwise, fees are awarded to the other party.  Here, the client was entitled to fees under both of these statutes.