I hate lawyers

[paulney]

This guy calls in at around 5 pm and asks for an interpreter for his client. A court hearing is a day away. It is a very short notice, but we do our best, and locate a great interpreter for him. Lawyer requests 3 hours of interpreter's time. Fine, we set up a booking agreement and indicate that additional time will be billed in 15 min increments.

The day of the hearing comes, our interpreter is there and does her job outstandingly. The hearing lasts for 6 hours instead of 3. They make a break in the middle of the day during which they do not allow anyone to leave the courtroom, and the interpreter has to make all sorts of arrangements, because she was only reserved for 3 hours.

Now the lawyer declines to pay for what he calls an 'hour of break'. He actually just slammed the phone on us when we called him about it.

What a dishonest bastard. Not the first time we are having issues with lawyers either, but this just takes the cake.

:|

 

[JS80]

And this has to do with lawyers how?

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: JS80
And this has to do with lawyers how?

He is a lawyer. He requested an interpreter for his client he is representing.

 

[Skunkwourk]

what a dick, but whats in the contract

 

[Jeeebus]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: JS80
And this has to do with lawyers how?

He is a lawyer. He requested an interpreter for his client he is representing.

The question is how does this relate to your hatred of lawyers? If the guy had been a penguin, he'd still be the same asshole. This had nothing to do with the fact he was a lawyer other than your desire to make it into a lawyer bashing thread.

 

[KLin]

What do you call 100 lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean?

A good start!

/rimshot

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Well, his trial (which if he wins, gets paid for) is taking up the interpreter's valuable time...

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: m0mentary
what a dick, but whats in the contract

The contract states that interpreter's time over 3 hours is billable in 15 min increments. Unfortunately we did not put in a specific provision for 'lunch breaks'. But geez - it's not like she could get up and leave and do her own stuff, although she very well could - she was only reserved for 3 hours.

We are going to pay her, of course, there is no question. But dammit, words just fail me.

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: Jeeebus

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: JS80
And this has to do with lawyers how?

He is a lawyer. He requested an interpreter for his client he is representing.

The question is how does this relate to your hatred of lawyers? If the guy had been a penguin, he'd still be the same asshole. This had nothing to do with the fact he was a lawyer other than your desire to make it into a lawyer bashing thread.

I our experience it's the worst group of customers to deal with.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: m0mentary
what a dick, but whats in the contract

The contract states that interpreter's time over 3 hours is billable in 15 min increments. Unfortunately we did not put in a specific provision for 'lunch breaks'. But geez - it's not like she could get up and leave and do her own stuff, although she very well could - she was only reserved for 3 hours.

We are going to pay her, of course, there is no question. But dammit, words just fail me.

Well now you know to put it in the contract at least.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: Jeeebus

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: JS80
And this has to do with lawyers how?

He is a lawyer. He requested an interpreter for his client he is representing.

The question is how does this relate to your hatred of lawyers? If the guy had been a penguin, he'd still be the same asshole. This had nothing to do with the fact he was a lawyer other than your desire to make it into a lawyer bashing thread.

I our experience it's the worst group of customers to deal with.

What other group uses your services?

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: JS80

I our experience it's the worst group of customers to deal with.

What other group uses your services?[/quote]

Hospitals, insurance companies, high tech, marketing agencies, etc.

 

[Fern]

Push him for payment; she couldn't leave the courtroom.

This is silly. Many lawyers charge you for such time. I've see them have to go out of town for a case and charge for the full 24hrs in a day even though much time is spent on stuff like sleeping, eating, & pooping.

He'll just bill the client. If he's a court appointed lawyer, he'll bill the court and it will pay unless your system has a rule to the contrary.

Fern

 

[mugs]

Sell the unpaid balance to a collection agency.

 

[paulney]

I will. The amount in question ($140/hour he refuses to pay) is not enough to waste time in Small Claims, but it is the dishonesty in business that disappoints me so much. On one hand you have people who go out of their way to provide quality service, and on the other - you have assholes like this who look in to screw you given the slightest chance.

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: mugs
Sell the unpaid balance to a collection agency.

I don't think they take cases without Small Claims court's decision in your favor.

 

[paulney]

Well, here's the reply from the guy:

Dear Paul,

It is unfortunate that you are being a jerk. I did speak to you and explained quite clearly that I will not pay for the lunch break period. The interpreter was free to leave during that time period but chose to stay because there was free pizza provided by myself and the opposing counsel. I do not believe it is customary to bill for a lunch period and you did not mention it prior to the booking. This is in contrast to the travel time that you did mention. Given this concealment of a material fact, your billing is simply fraudulent and constitutes a violation of Business and Professions Code Section 17200 as well as common law fraud.

I will send the appropriate fee within the 30 days mentioned in the invoice. I trust you won?t be too surprised if I never use your service again.

--

This is great business correspondence, isn't it?

 

[Nitemare]

yup, why do you think most politicians are lawyers?

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: paulney
Well, here's the reply from the guy:

Dear Paul,

It is unfortunate that you are being a jerk. I did speak to you and explained quite clearly that I will not pay for the lunch break period. The interpreter was free to leave during that time period but chose to stay because there was free pizza provided by myself and the opposing counsel. I do not believe it is customary to bill for a lunch period and you did not mention it prior to the booking. This is in contrast to the travel time that you did mention. Given this concealment of a material fact, your billing is simply fraudulent and constitutes a violation of Business and Professions Code Section 17200 as well as common law fraud.

I will send the appropriate fee within the 30 days mentioned in the invoice. I trust you won?t be too surprised if I never use your service again.

--

This is great business correspondence, isn't it?

Didn't you state that the interpreter was not allowed to leave the courtroom?

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: paulney
Well, here's the reply from the guy:

Dear Paul,

It is unfortunate that you are being a jerk. I did speak to you and explained quite clearly that I will not pay for the lunch break period. The interpreter was free to leave during that time period but chose to stay because there was free pizza provided by myself and the opposing counsel. I do not believe it is customary to bill for a lunch period and you did not mention it prior to the booking. This is in contrast to the travel time that you did mention. Given this concealment of a material fact, your billing is simply fraudulent and constitutes a violation of Business and Professions Code Section 17200 as well as common law fraud.

I will send the appropriate fee within the 30 days mentioned in the invoice. I trust you won?t be too surprised if I never use your service again.

--

This is great business correspondence, isn't it?

Didn't you state that the interpreter was not allowed to leave the courtroom?

Yep. The guys is lying. Not only she couldn't leave the room, but the break was also much less than an hour for her, because she was still interpreting during the lunch off the record.

 

[Skunkwourk]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: paulney
Well, here's the reply from the guy:

Dear Paul,

It is unfortunate that you are being a jerk. I did speak to you and explained quite clearly that I will not pay for the lunch break period. The interpreter was free to leave during that time period but chose to stay because there was free pizza provided by myself and the opposing counsel. I do not believe it is customary to bill for a lunch period and you did not mention it prior to the booking. This is in contrast to the travel time that you did mention. Given this concealment of a material fact, your billing is simply fraudulent and constitutes a violation of Business and Professions Code Section 17200 as well as common law fraud.

I will send the appropriate fee within the 30 days mentioned in the invoice. I trust you won?t be too surprised if I never use your service again.

--

This is great business correspondence, isn't it?

Didn't you state that the interpreter was not allowed to leave the courtroom?

Yep. The guys is lying. Not only she couldn't leave the room, but the break was also much less than an hour for her, because she was still interpreting during the lunch off the record.

well if thats the case its billable time right?

 

[RandomFool]

Sounds like you need a lawyer.

 

[sactoking]

He's trying to legalese you. Mention something to this effect:

Thank you for the courteous reply. Unfortunately, our billing stands as the interpreter provided was providing services during YOUR lunch break. Your client chose to use his/her services for purposes other than those initially stated in the contract. This constitutes billable time. We expect payment in full and any balance for less than 100% will not be accepted.

If he pays, don't cash the check and sue for the full amount.

 

[kranky]

Dear Mr. Lawyer:

I completely agree that it is not customary to bill for a lunch break. In fact, we do not. However, I'm sure you would agree that since our interpreter was not permitted to leave the courtroom, and since she continued to serve as your interpreter during that time, she earned and is entitled to the full fee for her services. Your previous correspondence stated that she was permitted to leave; the judge made it clear no one was permitted to do so.

I would have hoped you would have been pleased with the service provided considering the initial three-hour period of service you requested extended another three hours, including the lunch period, and our interpreter continued to provide service for the entiure duration with no complaint.

However, in the interest in fairness, please feel free to deduct the cost of pizza you purchased from the invoice. I believe that will make all parties whole.

Your letter was simply absurd and constituted a violation of Characteristics of People I Like Doing Business With, Section 4. Therefore, I trust you won't be too surprised if I never answer your calls again.

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: sactoking
He's trying to legalese you. Mention something to this effect:

Thank you for the courteous reply. Unfortunately, our billing stands as the interpreter provided was providing services during YOUR lunch break. Your client chose to use his/her services for purposes other than those initially stated in the contract. This constitutes billable time. We expect payment in full and any balance for less than 100% will not be accepted.

If he pays, don't cash the check and sue for the full amount.

Thanks! That sounds great.