# Should I get another lawyer?



## sprinter (Jul 25, 2011)

Okay so we're staring down the finale here. But for months things have just moved slowly, I get very slow responses from my lawyer. He's not exactly aggressive, which I really wanted. I've stayed with him, though. I just got back a bunch of discovery stuff from her attorney that I've read over, highlighted, and really want to go over with him. I sent an email to his para and haven't heard a thing. The last time I spoke with her she gave me this data and said to let her know if I wanted a settlement; acknowledging she hadn't even opened it. I read it over. Now I want to meet with them to go over it all and see what my legal position is but I can't get a response from them. It's not unusual to go a week or more before getting an email response. Were I not so far along I'd fire them. In the meantime I'm going insane trying to get a meeting or even a response from them. I'm also concerned about going into court with them. But the lawyer knows the judge pretty well and I think that may help me. So I have to way the slowness with the fact that there's familiarity. My wife's attorney is from another county and likely doesn't have much experience where I live.


----------



## Sod (Aug 20, 2011)

If you feel you are not being adequately represented, then yes. You only get to do this once


----------



## sprinter (Jul 25, 2011)

The problem is another lawyer won't talk to you if you have a lawyer. So you have to fire your lawyer before you talk to another one. Which puts you at a disadvantage. How do you know if the advice your getting is good or bad? In my case, I'm getting very little right now.


----------



## Sod (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm surprised by that. I think you need to go sit down with your lawyer face to face (not email) and lay it out there. You have expectations and you are paying for a service. If they think you are being unreasonable or feel that they cant give you what you want, a good lawyer will refer you to someone who can. You need to be comfortable with the person representing you and they should understand it. They deal with this stuff everyday so its nothing new to them but its your life.


----------



## sprinter (Jul 25, 2011)

Exactly! They remind me that court is going to be expensive. I'm thinking, so is a settlement. So to mean unless the settlement is more reasonable than the cost of court, I'd rather go to court. And I always pay them usually within days of getting their bill. So it's not like I've been late on paying them and they figure "hey, this guy is having a hard time the last thing he needs is court." Granted, I'm not rich but for now I'm managing to keep a divorce fund going.


----------



## Sod (Aug 20, 2011)

Honestly, the only people who win when you go to court are the lawyers. You are better off settling with your spouse if you can but only you know how likely that will be


----------



## sprinter (Jul 25, 2011)

Sod said:


> Honestly, the only people who win when you go to court are the lawyers. You are better off settling with your spouse if you can but only you know how likely that will be


I've made multiple offers, even agreeing with her figures. No luck. Keeps changing her mind. I think she really wants to go to court. I think she is hoping having an audience will work in her favor.


----------



## sprinter (Jul 25, 2011)

So I go in Friday to go over new details on the case, what they could mean, and what steps we can take. I actually had to remind him of stuff we've already gone over. This really kinda pissed me off. I mean he's asking me stuff. Stuff he should have notes on. Very basic premises already laid out. If they bill me for more than an hour you can bet I'm going to be reminding his asst that I probably spent 15 minutes getting HIM up to speed on the case!


----------



## Shamwow (Aug 15, 2011)

Please fire your lawyer. Or at least let him know you are considering it seriously at this point. This is a big deal. If you are having to remind him of details already gone over, he is not dedicated to your case. A good lawyer can pick up your case where the previous one left off in short order...it will be much better for you, especially, I would imagine, if you end up in court. Can you picture yourself having to call your lawyer over in the middle of a statement to remind him of a detail of your case that he should know? Not good. He is PAID to know the details.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## sprinter (Jul 25, 2011)

I'm putting feelers out and have contacted another firm. I talked to my state's Bar Association and they assured me that I am free to talk to another lawyer without firing this one. When he couldn't remember a major premise of her counter-suit after we'd had a long discussion in a previous session it scared me! I need someone much more aggressive anyway.


----------



## sprinter (Jul 25, 2011)

I talked to the assistant. She understood and in fact admitted some health issues had been causing some issues for him. She said she understood if I wanted to get another lawyer. The truth is, I've already talked to one that I'm interested in. She seems very aggressive and assertive. She listened to my overview and seemed confident nothing about it justified my wife's contentions.


----------



## Sod (Aug 20, 2011)

Good for you, you need to make that leap.


----------



## Runs like Dog (Feb 25, 2011)

sprinter said:


> I talked to the assistant. She understood and in fact admitted some health issues had been causing some issues for him.


This is grounds for immediate termination and possible legal action against the assistant. Having said that my interpretation of this is that your lawyer has a drug problem. If he really has bona fide 'health issues' he should refer to you another lawyer himself. 

In any case you're the customer, if you don't like the service find someone else. I am married to a non (never) practicing lawyer who would tell you the same thing.


----------

