Are lawyers really committed to expedited case resolution.
A civil dispute I know of - yeah, asking for a friend - has their lawyer dragging their feet, not across full detail etc etc.
With every phone call, photocopy, email and consultation invoiced at astronomical rates are lawyers really committed to a speedy resolution.
Conversely, it appears the “longer it drags on” with amended claims etc (from the other side) the longer the lawyer can drink from their client’s river of gold.
Win, lose or draw - they’ve got no skin in the game.
They get paid well, either way.
Lawyers - resolve case expediently or prolong for fee$
Mark1159 on 26/05/2022 - 12:43
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With every phone call, photocopy, email and consultation invoiced at astronomical rates are lawyers really committed to a speedy resolution.
Conversely, it appears the “longer it drags on” with amended claims etc (from the other side) the longer the lawyer can drink from their client’s river of gold.
Sounds like you're answering your own question there, OP.
Win, lose or draw - they’ve got no skin in the game.
Your friend's lawyer and the opposing counsel shaking hands after the court hearing and heading to the bar together to celebrate their windfall off the fighting of suckers is really what should've tipped you off, man.
Some are good and some are hopeless. I have been on the receiving end of an email from a lawyer saying that I had to provide open and frank details , but then a year later the lawyer in mediation brought up information that was not given to our side that was very critical to the case. In the end we stopped the mediation down within 15 minutes of getting the info due to the other side withholding information.
As it turned out the other lawyer was moving practices and did not care.
In the end I got a heck of allot more than expected, but it dragged on for two years after the mediation and the paperwork was filed with the courts to agree to the outcome about 3 weeks ago.
Unfortunately you need to tell the lawyer what you want them to do, but they will still charge you to look at anything they get from the other side and f the other side keeps changing things then it will cost you $$$$.
Are lawyers really committed to expedited case resolution.
lawyers are committed to, rinsing you/and or the other party for every dollar you're worth
That can be applied to every profession, from medical to constructions. That is why there is code of conducts established, effectiveness is debatable. For client is a game of luck.
civil dispute I know of….
Still got family law to look forward to…
Corporate is a bottomless pit of zeroes..
Had similar experience recently. Not only could they not produce detailed accounts for the billables but they were double dipping.
There's a process to follow but honestly they have such a conflict it's not funny. First complain to senior partner, then law society.
We gained more traction threatening consumer affairs and bad reviews. The bill went from $150k to $80k.
I think the word you need is expeditiously rather than expediently.
Your friend could try negotiating directly.
I thought the Sandpiper Crossing case was about to be settled?
This is particularly true for divorce lawyers. They’re very adept at furthering conflict
But during a divorce they are often being paid exactly to further conflict. I kinda want to get married just to have a messy divorce, it'd be nice to have someone care enough to want to ruin me tbh.
Big ‘please step on me mummy’ energy
As someone with personal experience of this here's my thoughts;
The issue can probably be broken down into two broad categories:
1. There are certainly lawyers out there who feel that they can record time on a client file that does not correspond to meaningful or beneficial work, then try to disguise this by opaque time entry descriptions. I call those people 'time bandits'. Because there is pressure on fee earners in law firms to make sure they get their daily billable targets- and said time bandits are either too lazy to do the work, or don't have enough work, they fake time. Another word for this is 'theft', and 'breach of fiduciary duties'. It can also be described as 'unprofessional conduct' - however, most clients do not recognise it, and most firms have an interest in turning a blind eye to it. However, every account you get from a law firm should be itemised, and you should be getting regular cost estimates. Check the itemisations. If initials appear on it that you do not recognise - ask why other fee earners are recording time on your file. If time entries do not appear to correspond to actual work - again, ask what they are. I have seen and worked with MANY time bandits in my time - however most of the time my clients only have limited budgets - so if you charge for wasted time, then you can't get the work done for the estimated cost…
2. Dragging out a matter - this is a different issue. Sometimes law firms don't encourage their clients to settle, or discourage their clients from accepting a settlement. In my experience most firms won't deliberately drag a matter on for the fees - but many firms will tell the client what they want to hear rather than what they should know. So, if a client doesn't want to settle - sometimes a good lawyer should tell them that they need to do so - even if they don't like it. Other lawyers will tell them that if they don't want to settle they can run a matter through to trial - even if the matter is not a good one. Who is to blame here? Well, I tend to blame the lawyers since its their job to advise, but if they properly advise and the client still wants to run the case - well, then that's on the client.
So - that my view from the inside. Hope it helps.Thx for that
I'm going thru the same thing atm… useless bunch.
Their time, your money