help needed to get out of a contract with a rl. est. agent

I'm trying to help a man who has a 6 month listing with an agent to sell his house. He's 3 months into the contract and can't make the $1600/month payments anymore. If he offered the bank his deed in lieu of foreclosure, would he violate the contract with the real estate agent (she will not release him even with the knowledge that he can't make the payments)? Does anyone know of a strategy to get my friend out of the contract?