If you need an attorney, start by seeking advice from friends and family before searching online for local attorneys.
If your attorney remains unresponsive for an extended period, send them a certified letter demanding they respond to you immediately and as proof. This will make sure they hear about it and establish who failed to reply in return.
1. They Don’t Answer Your Phone Calls
As a client, you should receive regular and clear communication from your attorney regarding the status of your case. If they’re not returning calls or responding to emails promptly, this poses a significant problem.
No doubt attorneys occasionally miss calls due to scheduling conflicts, depositions or mediations; but if your lawyer consistently neglects communication or makes excuses about being busy on another client’s case it could be time to look elsewhere for representation.
Try giving your attorney a gentle push by writing or emailing a polite yet professional letter or email explaining your frustration at their lack of communication. Documenting these attempts at communicating could prove helpful later if necessary steps such as filing legal malpractice claims are required.
2. They Don’t Communicate With You
Es can be extremely unnerving when an attorney suddenly goes silent on your case, be it due to other commitments or personal matters. Their silence could indicate their lack of interest in supporting you as the case progresses and could indicate they lack commitment for its outcome.
If your lawyer has gone silent, it is essential that any attempts at reaching them are documented with dates and times as this will ensure they are held accountable for their actions.
An attorney’s inability to communicate may constitute a breach of professional standards and grounds for legal malpractice; this determination will ultimately rest with a bar association; while this process plays out, in the meantime it would be wiser to contact another lawyer and discuss possible solutions; they could be better equipped to represent your needs than your current one.
3. They Withdraw from Your Case
It can be extremely distressing when an attorney decides to withdraw from your case, yet it’s essential that you understand why this has occurred so you can figure out the next step. If the reason lies within something within your power such as conflict of interests or non-payment of fees, try working through them before proceeding further with legal proceedings.
If the problem cannot be remedied easily, such as your attorney refusing to settle or comply with anti-money laundering rules around engaging lawyers, your best option may be finding another one. Be sure to provide your new lawyer with all necessary details of your case and documents so they can quickly catch up and ensure your case doesn’t slip through the cracks.
4. They Don’t Take Your Case to Trial
Attorneys have an ethical responsibility to represent their clients until trial; if yours decides otherwise, however, it’s crucial that you find a new one immediately.
Your attorney must clearly communicate legal matters, keep you up-to-date on the status of your case and respond to reasonable requests for information. If this level of communication does not meet your standards, consider finding another attorney who meets these expectations.
Abandonment by an attorney without providing an explanation violates the law, yet you cannot sue simply for abandonment; rather, in order to file suit, you must show how their actions caused harm; one way of doing this would be finding another lawyer and giving all relevant details about your case to them.