Keep in mind that, if you take a close look at N.J. Ct. R. 1:21, any out-of-pocket fees are taken off the top, prior to the calculation of the contingency fee. This includes things like paying for expert witnesses, and can be very substantial in a tort case. This is why many firms won't even bother with cases where the expected payout is under 6 figures.

So it's absolutely possible to have a court award $150K, of which half is paid out as fees, and then for the attorneys to take $25K of the remaining $75K, leaving just $50K for the injured party.