When To Replace Your Attorney

By Author: Greer Nade
Total Articles: 1
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It is important to understand when it may be necessary or appropriate to replace your attorney if you are dealing with a legal issue. Charleston lawyers who do not live up to the high standards of the profession or are not properly serving clients will ultimately do more harm than good for you. However, you should consider several factors if you are thinking about replacing your attorney, as well as several circumstances when it may be necessary to do so.

Reasons for replacing your attorney

- Lack of communication: If your attorney is not fulfilling his or her responsibility of keeping you informed about your case, does not return calls, or fails to keep appointments, then you may consider replacing your attorney. However, most lawyers are very busy and dealing with multiple cases and clients, so they may not be reachable at all times. You may want to consider a change if you receive no communication or responses to inquiries.

- Financial inaccuracies: If you are being charged inaccurately or not in accordance with what you had worked out with your attorney ...
... when he or she initially took your case, you should seek clarification from your lawyer about any billing that seems inaccurate. If you are not being billed correctly because the attorney is disorganized or dishonest, you may want to stop doing business with that firm.

- Breach of ethics: Attorneys at law should display the integrity and high ethical standards their profession demands. If you believe your attorney has taken any actions that are unethical, you should consider replacing the attorney. You may even want to file disciplinary action against him or her depending on the exact circumstances.

When to act

Remember that timing can be key if you are planning to replace your attorney. You may want to wait until the timing is right so that firing your attorney will not have an adverse effect on your case. For instance, do not do so immediately before a major court appearance unless it is an emergency.

Conversely, do not let a problem persist for too long. The longer you wait to replace your attorney when you know there is a problem, the more difficult it will be for another attorney to take over. This could potentially do damage to your case.

Finding a new attorney

If you fire an attorney, you should hire a new one as soon as possible. Provide him or her with contact information for the former attorney so he or she can attempt to get your case information from your former attorney. In some cases, a new attorney may be able to help you recoup certain fees from your old attorney, but that will depend on the circumstances. Experienced Charleston car accident lawyers should be able to take over your case, but be sure that you know what qualities you are seeking out in a new attorney that were lacking in your old attorney so you do not end up in a similar situation.