In the US, yes. Not in Europe. Here in the Netherlands, it's actually prohibited by the rules of the (loosely translated) National Bar Association to take a case on a 'no cure, no pay' basis.

This article is misinformed and misleading. The legal culture is very different between the US and mainland Europe. The claims that are being made in the article are largely misrepresentations of what actually happens; for example, her in the Netherlands the amount a judge can (but doesn't have to, and often does only in part) award the loser to pay for the legal costs of the winner is based on a quotum, i.e. not on the real costs, but on a fictitious per-hour amount, which is lower than actual commercial rates (one notable exception is for IP infringements, where the full cost can be claimed).