The New Jersey Supreme Court has agreed to take up a dispute over a ruling requiring lawyers in some fee-shifting cases to inform the client about other counsel who can provide representation on more favorable terms.

On March 8, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of a ruling voiding a lawyer’s retainer agreement in a fee-shifting case. The appeals courts said the retainer was void because attorney Brian Cige, a Somerville solo, failed to explain to the client that he would be charging hourly fees. The justices said they would consider the appeals court’s invalidation of the retainer and its imposition of a new rule on lawyers who charge hourly fees for working on discrimination or other fee-shifting cases.