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Lack of response from your own attorney
Anonymous8 views6 answers
I have an attorney "working" with me on a divorce case but his communication has been absolutely horrible. They do not return my calls, are never available, etc. I have an agreement in place so I didn't think it was a good idea to look for another attorney but I am so frustrated at this point. Is it a better idea to go with another attorney and start all over?
If you do not trust your attorney and find him/her unreliable, perhaps it is time to find new counsel. We charge a lot for what we do, clients can and should expect their attorney to be responsive (within reason of course).
Schedule an appointment, in person, with your attorney and let them know how you feel. Tell them what you are considering doing and see how they react?
Try to arrange for a brief face to face meeting at his office at his convenience to address your concerns. Write to him, if necessary, return receipt requested to get his attention.
Mary Katherine BrownFamily Law AttorneyBrooklyn, NY ·
If you have a flat-rate arrangement or you are behind on your bill, that might explain why your attorney is not as responsive as you would like. When attorneys are billing hourly, they tend to be more responsive because they know they will be getting paid for their time. When there is a flat-rate arrangement, the attorney will lose money if they spend too much time. In other words, when they are billing for their time, YOU are deciding what communication is important as you know you will be paying for it. When there is a flat-rate agreement, the attorney is deciding what communication is the minimum necessary to get the job done. Either method can be good, but they are different. Of course, if you do not have a flat-rate arrangement and you are not behind on your bill, then there is a bigger problem, and you should get another attorney asap. Good luck!
Maybe your lawyer is helping the opponent win against you. Typically, the law drives the fabrication of facts and the improper application of the law. The winner is typically the parent who is first to strike by shaping the case to take advantage of the law. If you are in the back seat, your lawyer may be capitulating by handing you a settlement document and vanishing for you to think about it.
What you do next is entirety up to you. We cannot tell you to switch lawyers and fill our pockets with your money.
Alexander O BentsenSocial Security LawyersStaten Island, NY ·
If your attorney has been ducking you, it is extremely unlikely the attorney is going to become more attentive in the future. It is hard to tell with his type of question whether the attorney is not responding or whether you are calling too much. Both happen. If you are calling with reasonable frequency--the attorney is not going to be more attentive in the future.
