- They break the promises they made to you at the time you hired them. If your attorney promises you that your divorce will be final in 90 days and six months later your divorce is not final and he calls you and asks you for more money, you should carefully consider whether you want them to continue representing you.
- They are slow to return your phone calls. You should expect your attorney to return your calls within a reasonable time. Twenty-four hours is reasonable, returning calls three or four days later is not reasonable. An attorney that is too busy to return your call is too busy to represent you.
- They appear impatient in responding to your questions. I had client that said that the attorney who represented her before me, rolled his eyes every time she asked him questions about her case. An attorney who doesn’t not respect you enough to answer your questions, doesn’t deserve your business.
- They keep asking for money without showing any results. Do not continue writing your checks to an attorney who is not able to show what exactly they are doing to justify their fee. And if the only time you hear from your attorney is when they want money then you should seriously consider hiring someone else.
- You are losing confidence in their ability to represent your interests. Once you lose confidence in your attorney, you need to fire them and hire someone else.
- They are late for appointments and court appearances. A lawyer who is too busy to show up on time is too busy to represent you. You attorney may have lots of clients and commitments but they should treat you as if you are their most important commitment and client.
- They don’t treat you with respect. I once overheard an attorney telling his client to “shut up!.” I was floored. Your attorney should treat you with the same respect that they expect from you .
Photo Credit: Mark Turner on Visual Hunt