tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post298836837458885369..comments2024-01-12T07:33:46.615-05:00Comments on Criminal Defense: Go Find Another "Second" LawyerMy Law Licensehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17487117416844299246noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-37683693357771202142009-06-02T07:49:20.625-04:002009-06-02T07:49:20.625-04:00Abiton says,
nice comment everyone can understand...Abiton says,<br /><br />nice comment everyone can understand easily..<br />This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.<br /><br /><A HREF="http://www.legalx.net" REL="nofollow">Find Lawyer</A>gallahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14776416171353793707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-65454616833223103632009-01-02T11:19:00.000-05:002009-01-02T11:19:00.000-05:00Jorge Labarga was appointed to the Florida Supreme...Jorge Labarga was appointed to the Florida Supreme court.Grey Teshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03694512530993683983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-36195181534101254702009-01-02T10:08:00.000-05:002009-01-02T10:08:00.000-05:00Good start to the new year in the practical blawgo...Good start to the new year in the practical blawgosphere.<BR/><BR/>When the client is looking for the next lawyer, it is almost always because communications have failed between the client and the current lawyer. This is not anybody's "fault" -- the best of us can have difficulty communicating with some clients. I don't mind being lawyer 2, but a human who has paid money to lawyer 1 really should try to patch up the problem before spending money on lawyer 2.<BR/><BR/>Grey, I'd rather have one case at $10,000 than <I>20</I> cases at $1,000 each.<BR/><BR/>"I'm calling on behalf of my fiancé, and I need some information" means "the no-good bastard has promised to marry me if I get him a lawyer, but I don't have any actual <I>money</I> to hire a lawyer."Mark Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04128739833441582127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-66626858108501400322009-01-01T22:14:00.000-05:002009-01-01T22:14:00.000-05:00Great (and timely for me) post. My goal for the ne...Great (and timely for me) post. My goal for the next year is to take fewer cases, and be more selective. I get sucked in too often because I feel sorry for a client, or maybe his family. No matter how good you are though, there are only a certain number of hours in the day. If you spread yourself too thin, you aren't doing anyone any favors.<BR/><BR/>I also agree with the comments about helping to salvage the relationship. That is especially common when a client has an appointed lawyer (where you really know they have no money). Sometimes all they need is to hear from someone else that their lawyer is actually working for them.Walter Reaveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03720010367254661297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-7412987209216670412009-01-01T21:58:00.000-05:002009-01-01T21:58:00.000-05:00I’d rather have one case at $10,000 than 10 cases ...I’d rather have one case at $10,000 than 10 cases at $1,000 each. I can do a better job for the client and have time for my family. The key word is value. What you charge is, in part, directly related to your self image. Some lawyers don’t value their services and they charge accordingly. I know brilliant lawyers who have been practicing for 25 years that don’t charge squat. <BR/><BR/>If you don’t get the money up front, you ain’t gettin’ it. If you are not firm on the price, the client will think you won’t be firm with the prosecutor. <BR/><BR/>If someone has another lawyer, I don’t talk with them. I have my secretary tell ‘em there is a consultation fee they gotta pay before I’ll talk with them. Almost invariably, that sends them on to the next lawyer. You can’t please all the people all the time. Or is it, fool them... <BR/><BR/>The classic “my boyfriend...” call is one that never ends good.Grey Teshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03694512530993683983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-54422094330860430392009-01-01T18:08:00.000-05:002009-01-01T18:08:00.000-05:00Rick, you make a great point that I believe is the...Rick, you make a great point that I believe is the cornerstone of what separates some of the criminal defense bar.<BR/><BR/>I always ask about the current lawyer. If it's someone I know well, or even if it's just that I don't want the client to mortgage their life to defend themselves, I will try to salvage the relationship. I'll ask questions to determine the breakdown, and sometimes even (with the client's permission) talk to the lawyer and let them know there's an issue that can be resolved.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately there is a group of criminal defense lawyers who only see dollar signs, no matter how small, and will just take the case, and the client's money.My Law Licensehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17487117416844299246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-4740153992827362722009-01-01T17:59:00.000-05:002009-01-01T17:59:00.000-05:00I agree with you on this. My practice is small. ...I agree with you on this. My practice is small. I wouldn't mind it being a little bit larger, but I have avoided some offers for work because I don't want to be overwhelmed. (Certain offers to join appointment panels, for example.) I want to be able to focus on the cases I have. <BR/><BR/>And I refuse any offers to become a "second" lawyer on the same basis I'd refuse to be the "first" lawyer. If a client can't pay without my "getting their money back" from another attorney, then they can't pay. If the reason for wanting a new attorney isn't concrete and well-founded, as you noted, I won't take it. <BR/><BR/>Sometimes, I'll even ask the client's permission to talk to the other attorney before any decisions are made, with the idea of helping them salvage a relationship and get what they need without hiring me and losing any non-refundable fees.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com