Firing a lawyer.

@Lore2009 (7378)
United States
February 2, 2009 6:44pm CST
Has anyone fired their lawyer before... or had their lawyer sued? Funny as it sounds, many have thought of doing this. I wonder how successful some people were at it. Maybe I can write a book about bad experiences with lawyers. Anyone want to share?
1 person likes this
1 response
• Canada
3 Feb 09
Oh I have one, sure... my divorce lawyer. I went to his office for an appointment and he met me at the reception desk. He extended his arm, indicating I should proceed to his office. As I'm walking, I feel a hand sort of rubbing on my back. I literally whipped my head around to look at him and he said, "Your blouse is an interesting texture... I wondered what it felt like." I had on a sort of suede shirt, it's true, but I don't know what possessed him to think it was ok to "reach out and touch" it. I always found his conversations were laden with innuendo and, when I mentioned I was going on a short trip to see a friend, he asked me if I was taking my daughters with me. When I said no, they were staying with their grandma, he said "Oh! THAT kind of friend." I told him that was a very rude assumption to make, especially of someone going through the kind of divorce I was. Finally, just before my divorce was finalized, I got a phone call from him. I couldn't imagine why he was calling because we were really just waiting for the final judgement and paperwork. He asked how I was and (this was the long weekend for Easter) what was I doing on the weekend. He asked if I wanted to get together and do something with him! My divorce lawyer asking me on a date. I don't know but there must be some "rule" about not dating about-to-be-divorced clients... or, at the very least, he should have realized how unprofessional it was. For the record, I turned him down and never spoke with him again.
@Lore2009 (7378)
• United States
3 Feb 09
Wow, that is very unprofessional. Was the divorce accomplished though? Were you able to get the judgment before you had to stop talking to him?
1 person likes this
• Canada
5 Feb 09
Yes... and it was the only reason that I hung on through his nonsense at the end. You see, both my ex and I went to him together because we started out the divorce process thinking we could accomplish it with the one lawyer. Then, my ex decided to move all the way across the country, right in the middle of everything... so we had to basically go back and start from square one, once he got new representation of his own. The last thing I wanted was to start over a third time, if I got rid of the creepy lawyer, so I toughed it out and avoided him as much as possible until we reached judgement. Oh and note of interest... he sent me a final bill for $5K. This was after I'd been making instalment payments all the way along. His final bill was not itemized... just a flat amount that he said was "agreed upon." That was not the case. I had not agreed to any fixed amount as that would make no sense at all. In writing, I requested an itemized bill before I would pay him anything. He could not justify the $5000 and my final invoice was actually around $3500. If I'm ever in need of a lawyer in the future, I can promise you it will NOT be him :)