how to fire solicitor

hepcat

Need some advice on how to get rid of a solr am using (not personally, for work). He has not returned any calls on the latest file i have sent him, which was in March. I have only spoken to him once on the matter, after repeatedly pursuing him. I have also sent faxes. Yesterday, in total frustration, I sent a fax saying that I would have to ring plaintiffs solrs and advise that he was no longer dealing with the matter - by close of business today if he does not get in touch. Is this sufficient? I cannot wait any longer and we are being made to look really inefficient by having nop response on state of play - I don't even know what this solrs has done so far - am I entitled to this info from him.

I should have stated, I do of course realise that anything that follows is purely discussion and I will not rely on same as legal advice. Thanks.

popebenny16

As you know we cant give advice on this forum, see the rules above. However, go ask another solicitor and he or she will take things from there.

Before anyone starts I willadmit that the most common cause of complaint against us (I am a solicitor btw) is the lack of responding to calls or letters from other solicitors and/or clients. Why this is i dont really know, but work practises can dictate it. Sometimes you can be in court for days on end, yesterday I spend three hours with two clients in a consultation. (BTW if you're wondering how i can spend this time here I've been in work for two hours already and amon a coffee break). Perhaps the Law Society can do a bit of digging on this.

hepcat

"work practices can dictate it" Eh? That is such a load of tripe - do you think the rest of us do not have meetings with clients etc etc? Sorry, but there is no excuse for not returning a call in over 2 months, and hiding behind "oh, he's just going into a meeting" etc only makes things worse. Spending 3 hours in a consultation with 2 clients is hardly a herculean feat - does that mean you cannot do anything for the rest of the working day?

Anyway, sorry again. I am just so frustrated. Don't particularly want to see another solicitor for the foreseeable, or ever if possible!

popebenny16

I'm soprry hepcat that you have had a bad experiance. Two months is rather extreme, even by our standards!! Go to another Solicitor, if you have a case in the courts you need one, or else you could end up losing your case.

What i've said is true, when you multiply a day like that by 5 a week is gone. As I said the most common complaint about us is that we do not get back to people and the reason why must be found out. I personally find it to be the old "ment to do it, something came up, will really do it, promise" senario. It happens to me as well waiting for a solicitor to come back to be regarding a phone call or a letter I would have sent. It needs to be looked at, I wish you all the best but due to the rules i cant go any further.

hepcat

Well, I don't want to discuss the validity or otherwise of excuses thrown up by solicitors for their laziness / bad service. What I wanted to discuss was whether or not there is any pitfalls / things to watch out for when telling a solicitor that his services are totally inadequate and you are obliged to find someone else.

At any rate, my last fax worked, sort of. He rang yesterday with about 10 minutes to go...fulsomely apologetic and promising to work in case in next couple of days. Thing is, I certainly do not have any faith in him as he has said this before. So I may be back to square one before the weekend.:rolleyes:

dermot_sheehan

hepcat wrote:

Need some advice on how to get rid of a solr am using

Ring him up, and say, in your best donald trump voice: You're Fired!!!

EdgarAllenPoo

gabhain7 wrote:

Ring him up, and say, in your best donald trump voice: You're Fired!!!

That's exactly what I would do(and have done). Mine was taking his sweet time sorting out a house sale so I asked him to send me any documents of mine that he had, paid him whatever he was owed and was on my merry way.

At the end of the day it's like any other service, if you're not happy take your business elsewhere.