Is this right or fair what is happening?
I am going through a horrible divorce and having a rough time. I really got a punch in the gut when I found out this week that his lawyer and mine are buddies and merged their law firms. I was told I could get dumped. Now I cannot get a hold of anyone and money is due me. I have left several messages for the local bar association and no one there will call me back either. What are my rights? Didn't they have an obligation to tell me this before wasting my time and taking my case? It seems like a bad business practice. Now I have no money, probably no lawyer, and legal aid has no guaranteee someone will be able to go to court with me Aug. 17th. I am a single mom with no other resources and I feel like I have been taken advantage of. AND...it will be important for answerers to know this in El Paso, Texas, laws are unusual here, not like in other places, so your standard answers might not really apply. It would help to have people familiar with these situations in TX to answer.
Answer:
I do not have any legal advice other than the fact that if a lawyer told me what he told you... I would INSIST on ALL of my money returned. The fact that he denies me service because he is somebody's buddy? No way... I would throw a legal fit, honestly. I would be making a bee line to a lawyer that would help me sue that lawyers buttinsky... and, I am not kidding. That is so incredibly unprofessional of that lawyer.
If I ended up having to go to court without legal counsel in that situation, I would explain this whole situation to the judge.
Also... I would be seriously tempted to take something of this nature to the news stations. Here in Ohio... granted this is not El Paso... we have news teams just waiting to get this kind of dirt to take to the public eye for scrutiny. It makes a huge difference and people are often given justice because of it. Embarrass those attorneys for their terribly unethical behavior!
I know I am ranting... but, that griped my hide to hear what that lawyer is doing... my best wishes to you, and I really hope there is someone who can give you advice that will serve you effectively in this process.
I will pray for you about it.
yellow page time..lawyers..free compensation.they will help you.
Ah lawyers..fine bunch. Ever notice most politicans were former lawyers...
I don't know what you can do but I just want to offer my support as a woman. That is terribly wrong and there has to be SOMETHING you can do. I hope someone on here can help you. Have you tried contacting another lawyer firm to ask what you can do? See if someone will do a free consultation or something? That is terrible. Your Ex has to be a REAL jerk off to let them get away with that to the mother of his child. I hope you get em girl!! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT, and DON'T back off.
To abandon a case without previous notice may be seen as malpractice. Try to contact the BAR. That is the association in charge of looking at lawyers behavior sometimes.
The law firm is not obligated to find you another lawyer. They are, however, obligated to return your money if you have paid them anything. Due to professional ethics, the same firm can't represent both parties.
Get the yellow pages and get yourself a new lawyer. It's barely July right now, if you start soon there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to hire another lawyer by August 17. But if not, you can write to the clerk of the court, explain your situation, and ask for a postponement.
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