BPDFamily.com

Almost three months ago I put a young attorney on a $1000 retainer to modify my custoyd order.  This attroney had worked at the firm of my most recent fired attorney, left and has started her own practice.  Busy I’m sure.

We had talked in June of what I needed to have done.  Early August I gave her an electronic Word file of the changes to be made to my Order.  In the interime I have had one incident with exuBPD/NPDw makign a scene at school – frist day of school – with demanding to pick my kids up on my day.  This to be addressed by one of the changes in the Order.  So bad I had the principal talk to the attroney to give her the horse’s mouth summary of the incident.  I need the order changed.

So, August I provide the list of changes in a very easy to use format.  September comes and I give the same list.  Over two weeks ago I had talked to the attorney and she said she would do the modification “over the weekend.”

Since then I have seen or heard nothing, have sent two pointed e-mails demaindg status, one phone call with no return phone call.

This type of behavior with her old boss did nothing but cost me momentum, money and aggravation.

Is it me, should I not be pissed about not return phone calls?  It was difficult enough changing attorneys but sounding like I should be considering that alternaive, again, and she hasn’t even done anything for me yet.   

My attorney told me she responds within 48 hours. If she can't respond, she has her associate call me. I've never had to wait longer than 48 hours, and even during secured leave she has answered emails.

I would write an email and detail what you did here, and tell her if you don't have a response within 24 hours, you want your full retainer back and you will seek new counsel.

Sorry you're going through this. Last thing any of us needs is a bad attorney.

I think it's appropriate to expect a return phone call.

I like LnL's lawyer's policy.

Can you maybe call and make an actual appointment with the attorney thru the office secretary? To sign the over-the-weekend-completed order?

My guess is the attorney might have it ready to go at that point? 

I guess I'm just flabbergasted, again, by not at least receiving some type of response.  Not retruning phones calls is just something that seems curious to me as I don't practice that in my own profession even with people I don't want to talk to.  I feel exactly like I did when this lawyer's old boss (lawyer I fired and threatened to sue) did the same thing.  I would half expect the assistant to at elast call back as was suggested, but that hasn't happened either.

My first L was the same , many days to respond to emails , never getting to talk to her directly, always through the secretary.  Slow to get return answers.

Living with x2bh during the filing and months after , that L made it rougher. SHE WAS THE SAME IN COURT, not really a fighter for me.

I felt guilty but asked around of who else, got new L. More money but he lives for law, works evenings and weekends.  He returns calls same day . He said any L who doesn't should have his/her secretary return calls or email same day.

MHO difficult but might be necessary to be looking for new L.

So you could ask for a return of the retainer since apparently you can't get her to do anything.  That was a low retainer.  When I was checking out a different lawyer, I was quoted $7500.  The one I've used was less, but not as low as your L's.

Lawyer do live at a different speed than us, but of course it's a business for them, it's our lives for us.

All true.  My retainer was based on filing a custody order modification, only.  It sounds like retainers in my area are now more commonly around $5k.  when I started -  five yrs ago, mine were $3k.  In this case, I needed her to intervene with ex's bad behavior instead of concentrate on the modification order.