Schatz

McCONNELL, P.J.

This case involves an attorney fees dispute. In Alternative Systems, Inc. v. Carey (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 1034 , 79 Cal. Rptr.2d 567 ( Alternative Systems) , the court held the mandatory fee arbitration act (MFAA; Bus. & Prof.Code [1] § 6200 et seq.), which for public policy reasons entitles clients to nonbinding arbitration and trial de novo, supersedes a retainer agreement's binding arbitration clause when the client opts for the MFAA procedure. Under the MFAA, a client may commit to binding arbitration only after a fee dispute arises. ( Alternative Systems, supra, at pp. 1042-1044, 79 Cal.Rptr.2d 567 .)

The issue here is whether Alternative Systems remains good law in light of the Supreme Court's opinion in Aguilar v. Lerner (2004) 32 Cal.4th 974 , 12 Cal. Rptr.3d 287 , 88 P.3d 24 ( Aguilar) . In a concurring opinion in Aguilar , Justice Chin submitted that the majority opinion effectively overruled Alternative Systems. ( Aguilar, supra, at pp. 992-993 , 12 Cal. Rptr.3d 287 , 88 P.3d 24 (con. opn. of Chin, J.).) Justice Chin concluded the MFAA complements, rather than supersedes the California Arbitration Act (CAA), and after nonbinding arbitration under the…