Need advice on how to handle a deadbeat attorney

Megamorph

Senior member
Nov 25, 2001
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I have a Lemon Law case, which is an open and shut case. I meet all of the requirements plus some to qualify for Texas Lemon Law. I hired an attorney who advertises as a Lemon Law specialist to handle the case. I paid him $1,500 up front to handle the case from start to finish.

On 2/16/05, I paid him the fee. On 3/3/05, he wrote a letter to the vehicle manufacturer, which was his first and only action. On 4/12/05, the manufacturer's attorney wrote a response letter asking us to provide proof that the vehicle was under factory warranty. My attorney then asked me to send him a letter stating why I thought the vehicle was under warranty. I immediately typed a statement and faxed it to him. My attorney then told me that he was going to forward my statement along with another letter to the manufacturer's attorney.

Immediately after this, my attorney started dodging my phone calls. He has his secretary lie to me about his whereabouts. The secretary promises time and time again that he will return my call, but he never does. His office cannot send me a copy of the second letter, which he claims he sent. I doubt it was ever sent.

I have NEVER been rude to anyone in his office, but when I called this morning his secretary hung up on me when I told her who I was.

What kind of recourse do I have against an attorney? Is there someone I can report him to?

I just want my $1,500 back so I can hire another attorney to handle my case.
 

no0b

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2001
3,804
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Go to his office, raise hell, demand satisfaction. Speak loudly barge into his office especialy if hes entertaining other clients.
 

tami

Lifer
Nov 14, 2004
11,588
3
81
i'd go to the office and demand satisfaction. ever see the movie erin brockovich?

anyhow, please keep us updated.
 

ggavinmoss

Diamond Member
Apr 20, 2001
4,798
1
0
Originally posted by: no0b
Go to his office, raise hell, demand satisfaction. Speak loudly barge into his office especialy if hes entertaining other clients.

Don't do this; you've kept your cool thus far -- don't lose it now. Call the Texas Bar Association as CPA recommended and try to use leverage from that perspective.

You're more likely to get your way if you don't sound like a raging lunatic.

-geoff
 

Originally posted by: Megamorph
I have a Lemon Law case, which is an open and shut case. I meet all of the requirements plus some to qualify for Texas Lemon Law. I hired an attorney who advertises as a Lemon Law specialist to handle the case. I paid him $1,500 up front to handle the case from start to finish.

On 2/16/05, I paid him the fee. On 3/3/05, he wrote a letter to the vehicle manufacturer, which was his first and only action. On 4/12/05, the manufacturer's attorney wrote a response letter asking us to provide proof that the vehicle was under factory warranty. My attorney then asked me to send him a letter stating why I thought the vehicle was under warranty. I immediately typed a statement and faxed it to him. My attorney then told me that he was going to forward my statement along with another letter to the manufacturer's attorney.

Immediately after this, my attorney started dodging my phone calls. He has his secretary lie to me about his whereabouts. The secretary promises time and time again that he will return my call, but he never does. His office cannot send me a copy of the second letter, which he claims he sent. I doubt it was ever sent.

I have NEVER been rude to anyone in his office, but when I called this morning his secretary hung up on me when I told her who I was.

What kind of recourse do I have against an attorney? Is there someone I can report him to?

I just want my $1,500 back so I can hire another attorney to handle my case.
Contact the State Bar. They'll take care of him if he did violate any of their ethics.
 

captains

Diamond Member
Mar 27, 2003
4,065
1
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I hired an attorney who advertises as a Lemon Law specialist to handle the case.

from tv?
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
3
0
Originally posted by: Cleaner
Originally posted by: hevnsnt
take a dump on his doorstep

Put in in paper bag and light in on fire before ringing doorbell!
I knew you were just another kid using his parents computer. How were you able to get around this sites ban on AOL users?
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
Originally posted by: audiotherapy
Be like that guy that tried to shoot his laywer 10 times while his lawyer was hiding behind a tree

That wasn't his lawyer. I think it was the opposition's lawyer.
 

Megamorph

Senior member
Nov 25, 2001
568
0
0
***UPDATE***

I finally managed to get the attorney on the phone after I made the original post in this thread. I had to use a false name to get him to take my call. This guy is young and very immature. He told me that he is far too busy to be bogged down with such an insignificant case and that my only option was to let him handle this at his pace. The problem with his pace is that he has only written 2 very short letters since February 2005. That's it!

After that conversation, he said he was going to write another letter to the vehicle manufacturer, which never happened. It has taken me until today to trick him into taking my call, as he has been dodging me since early-May. Today, he informed me that I should just fire him and sue him, after lying to me about his progress on the case. The problem is that this crooked, lying bastard has my money and has wasted nearly 5 months of my time.

Are there any attorneys here who can give me some input on how I should handle this?
 

audi

Banned
Jan 31, 2005
458
0
0
why not try following the advice in this thread and contacting the state bar association
 

CrackRabbit

Lifer
Mar 30, 2001
16,642
62
91
Originally posted by: Megamorph
***UPDATE***

I finally managed to get the attorney on the phone after I made the original post in this thread. I had to use a false name to get him to take my call. This guy is young and very immature. He told me that he is far too busy to be bogged down with such an insignificant case and that my only option was to let him handle this at his pace. The problem with his pace is that he has only written 2 very short letters since February 2005. That's it!

After that conversation, he said he was going to write another letter to the vehicle manufacturer, which never happened. It has taken me until today to trick him into taking my call, as he has been dodging me since early-May. Today, he informed me that I should just fire him and sue him, after lying to me about his progress on the case. The problem is that this crooked, lying bastard has my money and has wasted nearly 5 months of my time.

Are there any attorneys here who can give me some input on how I should handle this?

Contact the Texas Bar NOW.

Edit: You are an idiot for not doing so already.
 

axelfox

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
6,719
1
0
Originally posted by: audi
why not try following the advice in this thread and contacting the state bar association

yeah, contact the state bar complaint hotline.