firing your attorney
Employment Law

When Can You Consider Firing Your Attorney?

| June 17, 2023

Well, you need not worry. The decision of hiring and firing your attorney is indeed a personal one. When an attorney is hired, they are supposed to represent you legally. This attorney has to act responsibly. Although it is quite unfortunate for the legal fraternity, some attorneys do behave in an unethical manner.

Some states also have a law that prevents lawyers from contacting potential clients unless they have contacted the lawyer first. Over the years, unethical practices have increased. Attorneys can often be seen paying off third parties to bring in clients. These unfair practices and failure to get a satisfactory result in illegal matters can lead to you firing your attorney. 

If you are unhappy with your legal services, you can, without a doubt, look into firing your attorney. 

What Is The List Of Duties Of An Attorney?

These are a list of duties your attorney should take care of. In case they do not hold up to their standards, you can look into firing your attorney on the grounds of malpractice. 

Providing High-Quality Work

Attorneys should provide high-quality work to clients who have hired them. Each attorney shirt possesses legal abilities to analyze, study and conduct research into the laws and legal trends of the land.

Looking Into The Needs Of The Clients Legally

It is the basic duty of an attorney to assess the situation carefully. An attorney should take action as to what their client wants.

Warning The Clients Of The Consequences

An attorney has to assess situations carefully. Sometimes clients approach lawyers to help them carry out illegal proceedings. In such situations, the lawyer should clearly inform the client of the consequences of these actions and refuse to take any part in it.

Punctuality And Diligence

Law is more often than not time-bound. An attorney should always keep the time element in consideration. Unwanted and unnecessary delays can often cause damage to a case. 

Refraining From Falls Claims

A legal professional will always know what lies ahead. Therefore, They should be very honest with the client from the beginning of the case. You can make the decision of firing your attorney if they have misled you in any manner.

Charging Reasonable Fee

The charges claimed by a lawyer for his legal services should always be reasonable. The attorney should also be very clear about any big expenses that the case holds in its latter parts.

Transparency

An attorney should be absolutely transparent with his client regarding all matters of the case. It is his duty to keep the client informed of any changes or development pertaining to the case.

Confidentiality

According to the unsaid rule of attorney-client privilege, whatever the client entrusts to his lawyer will stay with the lawyer. The attorney or the lawyer cannot use their interactions in court against the client. 

Not Representing Persons In Conflict Of Interest

An attorney owes loyalty to his client. This means that an attorney representing the plaintiff cannot represent the respondents of the same case. An attorney also cannot serve in his professional capacity in a case where he is personally related.

Client Money And Belongings

If the lawyer is in charge of any funds or property of the client, he may not use these as his own. The lawyer has to keep these belongings separate from his own and return them in the same condition. A detailed record is to be kept of all funds and fees received from the client.

What are the grounds on which you can be firing your attorney?

These are the reasons to file a complaint against an attorney :

If they have failed to represent you in court properly.

This is a very valid ground for firing your attorney. If an Attorney has not acted in his true capacity and ultimately led you to lose the case, he should be fired immediately. However, before firing, it is always best to communicate your concerns. In a lot of cases, the Attorney is willing to waive his fee due to his poor services.

If you are an attorney, do not listen to you or your concerns.

Your attorney is a legal professional. It is their job to know the law and act according to it. However, it is also their job to hear your concerns relating to the case and address them in time. If they end up not listening to your concerns and acting arbitrarily, you should definitely be thinking about firing your attorney.

Unethical behavior.

If your attorney is displaying unethical behavior, first try communicating with them. However, if they continue behaving indecently or even illegally, it is best to fire them. Lying to the client, abusing the client, stealing from the client, and misleading the client, are all examples of unethical behavior seen in an attorney.

Should You Report Your Attorney To The Police?

Suppose your lawyer has been stealing from you, holding important information from you, or using your case to benefit personally and illegally. In that case, you should immediately file a report at your nearest police station. The American Bar Association takes these complaints very seriously. They might launch an investigation into the matter and suspend the attorney’s practice license if the accusations are true. 

You can also file a disciplinary action against your lawyer on the grounds of unethical behavior.

Wrapping It Up!

It is important to understand that an attorney-client relationship is also a two-way street, like any professional relationship. A client must be transparent right from the first step of the proceedings. Firing your attorney may seem like an easy process. However, communicating your problems and working toward the common goal of a settled legal dispute is more important. 

Understanding that your actions affect an attorney’s professional life is also essential. Similarly, an attorney’s actions have a lasting effect on the client’s case. 

Hope you enjoyed reading this article! Do let your concerns be known, and we will try our best to address them.

Visit To Get An Idea About Lawyers:

Spread the love

Jyoti Jha
Jyoti Jha

Jyoti Jha is a freelance SEO content writer for tech , health, and education-related content. With 5 years of experience in the industry, I am creating high-quality content that captivates readers and delivers value.

COMMENTS (2)

2 Replies to “When Can You Consider Firing Your Attorney?”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *