If a lawyer doesn’t take your case, you can get a second opinion from another lawyer who has taken cases similar to yours. But be cautious in this approach because of the next reason why a lawyer may not take your case: 2. Other lawyers have rejected your case
In order to prove to a judge that the case was mishandled, your lawyer must understand how it should have been handled. When an attorney says that he or she doesn’t have the expertise your case needs, take them at their word. While they may practice the broader area of law, they may not specialize in the niche that you need.
Other lawyers have rejected your case If your case has been repeatedly “released” or “dropped” from another law firm, subsequent attorneys will think twice about taking your case from either a liability perspective or an unreasonable expectation perspective.
Why won’t someone take my case?” One of the most difficult rejections to hear is that your case has no viable means of recovery. It’s a tough fact to face, particularly if you or a loved one have been grievously injured. Most attorneys, however, simply can’t afford to bring a lawsuit unless there is the potential to recover their expenses and fees.
If you have called your attorney, left messages, sent emails, and you still haven't heard a response, the best course of action is to send a certified letter to his or her office questioning the failure to communicate and informing them that you are prepared to find a new lawyer if the situation does not improve.
Legal malpractice is a type of negligence in which a lawyer does harm to his or her client. Typically, this concerns lawyers acting in their own interests, lawyers breaching their contract with the client, and, one of the most common cases of legal malpractice, is when lawyers fail to act on time for clients.
A: The lawyer should be responsive to your questions within 24-48 hours after you left a message. If the lawyer is not responsive, perhaps he or she is on vacation and unable to return.
There are other options if you don't want to sue your former attorney for a mistake they made. You can report them to the state bar or the American Bar Association. They will conduct an investigation if the mistake is serious enough and the lawyer could face being disbarred or other disciplinary actions.
Perhaps the most common kinds of complaints against lawyers involve delay or neglect. This doesn't mean that occasionally you've had to wait for a phone call to be returned. It means there has been a pattern of the lawyer's failing to respond or to take action over a period of months.
A lawyer will consider the possible damages that may be awarded in the best case scenario. If these damages are less than the fee that he or she would likely collect, the lawyer will likely not take the case and recommend that the client not pursue it.
Five things not to say to a lawyer (if you want them to take you..."The Judge is biased against me" Is it possible that the Judge is "biased" against you? ... "Everyone is out to get me" ... "It's the principle that counts" ... "I don't have the money to pay you" ... Waiting until after the fact.
There is no set formula for how often you will hear from your attorney. However, the key to a successful attorney client relationship is communication. Whenever there is an important occurrence in your case you will be contacted or notified.
Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.
No matter what name the agency in your state goes by, they will have a process you can use to file a complaint against your attorney for lying or being incompetent. Examples of these types of behavior include: Misusing your money. Failing to show up at a court hearing.
Signs of a Bad LawyerBad Communicators. Communication is normal to have questions about your case. ... Not Upfront and Honest About Billing. Your attorney needs to make money, and billing for their services is how they earn a living. ... Not Confident. ... Unprofessional. ... Not Empathetic or Compassionate to Your Needs. ... Disrespectful.
Even where an attorney made an obvious mistake, that mistake must have injured the client. The classic example of negligence is the attorney who did not file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expired.