*ahem* remember how I said that a pissed off judge is more dangerous than a grizzly bear?

[sparkindarkness]

Well, a close second MAY be your own pissed off lawyer - especially if that translates into a pissed of firm full of people with keen intellects, fertile imagination and cruel senses of humour.


Me: *grousing and laughing about Mr. C*
Colleague D: I can't believe he tried to sue you! Has he tried formally?
Me: Only with our own firm so far! *laughs*
D: *laughs* Hey, waaaaait...
Me: What?
D: Well, think about it. He has taken formal (albeit abortive) attempts to sue you over your performance in this case, right?
Me: yessss
D: And you're currently launching an appeal so his wife only takes the shirt off his back and not several feet of skin as well?
Me: Also yes
D: C'mon, he's launching legal action against you! You can ethically drop the case - hell, it can be argued that ETHICALLY you SHOULD drop the case or at least pass it to another lawyer, maybe even another firm.
Me: I don't normally drop cases no matter what...
D: I know, fanatic that you are. But if he's suing you about your performance to date, well that's reason to stop to limit the "damage" right? To say nothing of conflict of interests. Actually I think this is a stretch and ethically I COULD continue the case... though her argument is not without merit. And while I'm better at brutally holding up my ethical code like some kind of Lancelot, she is MUCH better at loop holes than I'll ever be
Me: If I dropped the case now or handed it to another lawyer it would delay his appeal considerably and cost him a lot more money and hassle.
D: Yes it would
Me: And that would be awful
D: Terrible. Truly
Me: *snorfle*
D: *cackle*

Comments

[tinimaus.livejournal.com]

*sniggers*
Oh, what fools etc.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

This is fuuuuun :)

[elrohana.livejournal.com]

Go on, drop him - you know you want to! Is his wife nicer than him? If so, not only are you ethically obliged to drop him, but also morally and in the interests of good old British Fair Play.

Oh, and in the interests of the amusement of your F-list of course, but don't let that influence you......

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

The letter has been sent, the files baggaged :)

Sadly ethically I cannot act for his wife. But I can cheer her on :)

[drharper.livejournal.com]

Doooo it! Dooooo it!

And, out of morbid curiosity, what is Lawyerese for "don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out".

For doctors, it's "It is with regret that (conflict with staff/irresolveable differences in opinion on plan of care/violation of clinic policy) makes it necessary to terminate the doctor/patient relationship you have at this clinic. We will provide emergency care for 30 days while you find another primary care physician."

[chichiri-no-da.livejournal.com]

In our office it's something along the lines of "damage to the client/solicitor relationship" ^_^ In other words, if they can't/won't trust our advice, we can't in good conscience keep them on as a client. They should go to someone they will trust.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

DOOOONE it :)

Well I am sure there are more formal ways of putting it but I generally settle for "Unfortunately I am no longer able to act on your behalf due to X" X is usually nicely vague like "ethical considerations." Or, depending on the client (i.e. if "ethical considerations" may cause them to reach for a dictionery) I just sayd "Law Society rules." Other good values for X are, as Chichiri says, "deteriorating relationship," or, if I'm being harsh "client created difficulties."

I advise them to seek another solicitor but usually don't mention a firm.

[drharper.livejournal.com]

Oh, to be a fly on the wall (or have a nice little spy-cam installed) when he opens that letter!

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Think his head will 'splode?

Oh I hope so

[cuglas.livejournal.com]

LOL

Don't you have any firms/attorneys that you hate? The people who annoy me are the ones who I refer all my idiots to...

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

They may do it back to me though....

[tanarill.livejournal.com]

Hmm . . .

So, I am truly jealous of your ability to inflict pain upon the idiots of the world.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I promise to use this power for my own perverse amusement good

[klgaffney.livejournal.com]

doooooo eeeeet. for great justice. =D

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

It has been doooone! for greeeeat justice! /Amelia!

And because it amuses me

[jocelyncs.livejournal.com]

Hah! Dunno about the ethics and conflict-of-interest laws in the UK, but here in the US, you and your firm are more or less ethically OBLIGATED to withdraw once a lawsuit has been instituted against you by your client due to your representation!

Far be it for me to give legal advice to another lawyer, but...*nudge, wink*!

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Well, TECHNICALLY that's true - BUT we haven't received any formal indication of his intent to sue beyond him trying to hire us (obviously neither possible nor sensible) so I can (and normally would) put it down to not being serious.

Normally we wouldn't take what the client says in a fit of temper seriously.... but since it provides us with no small amount of amusement in this case, I'm going to do it :)

[thisdaydreamer.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, this gets even better.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Doesn't it just?

[blackironcrown.livejournal.com]

I'm very glad you did that.
Ethical considerations aside, it's rather a slap in your face for him to do that, and frankly, it should not be treated lightly.
I imagine the Partners looking at you all fatherly-professional-like with poorly-hid smiles on learning the letter was sent.

[blackironcrown.livejournal.com]

Also, I think we need a picture of you in that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney pose, screaming out OBJECTION!

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Oh we got together and read the letter aloud chuckling.

Mad Secretary has taken great glee in answering irate calls from him with "we can not longer act for you, please stop calling."

[cuglas.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I think I love everything about the law, except for the clients.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Ain't that the trith