quantum meruit是拉丁文，相当于英文的 "as much as he deserved,"the actual value of services performed.

Quantum meruit determines the amount to be paid for services when no contract exists or when there is doubt as to the amount due for the work performed but done under circumstances when payment could be expected. This may include a physician's emergency aid, legal work when there was no contract, or evaluating the amount due when outside forces cause a job to be terminated unexpectedly. If a person sues for payment for services in such circumstances the judge or jury will calculate the amount due based on time and usual rate of pay or the customary charge, based on quantum meruit by implying a contract existed.

quantum meruit——即：“按照服务计值，按合理价格支付、（无合同规定时 ）支付合理费用、合理给付”

简而言之， quantum meruit的含义为 “所得不应多于应得”。也就是说，在没有明确合同约定的价钱的情况下，据市场普遍价格应该收到合理的报酬。

例句1：

A legal practitioner entering into such an arrangement could not recover any fees, either under such an agreement or on a quantum meruit basis. 

如果他订立这样的安排，他不能追讨任何费用，不论是该协议订明的费用或是按服务计算的酬劳。

例句2：

The present position is, therefore, that in contentious proceedings no contingency fee arrangement is permissible at all, and no conditional fee arrangement is permissible, even if there is no success fee, unless it complies with the relevant primary and secondary legislation. 86 Fees are not recoverable under any non-compliant agreement, and any claim for payment based on quantum meruit would fail if a court refuses to enforce an agreement for reasons of public policy. 

因此，目前的立场是，在有争议的诉讼程序中，根本不允许有按条件收费的安排，即使没有胜诉费，也不允许有按条件收费的安排，除非它符合相关的主要和次要立法。任何人都不能根据不符合规定的协议追讨费用，而且，如果法庭已经基于公共政策的理由而拒绝强制执行某份协议，则任何人所提出，要求以按服务计酬方式付款的申索都不会成功。