WTF didnt my attorney call or email me back?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did a brief stint in a family law practice and it might be a money thing. They make a lot their money off of the initial consults. Quick and easy upfront cash. After that they have your money in "escrow" so they can take their time getting back to you.

The firms themselves tend to be staffed leanly and there are only so many hours in a day so they tend to go after the cases where there is more money to be made. High net-worth individuals w/ cash to burn on negotiating "boiler plate" settlement agreements.

If they didn't like a client or want a case because they thought it would be a hassle they would suggest an absurd upfront retainer amount. Hoping the potential client wouldn't want to obtain.

The group I worked for were a cynical bunch and they didn't have much respect for the clients. It was a strange place.

What is an example of an I absurd retainer amount?- op

[Anonymous]

I did a brief stint in a family law practice and it might be a money thing. They make a lot their money off of the initial consults. Quick and easy upfront cash. After that they have your money in "escrow" so they can take their time getting back to you.

I don't know why your attorney hasn't called you because it's kind of hard to understand your relationship. You say you are on a limited budget and presumably conveyed this to your attorney, but then you want your attorney to do things that spend your money - like call you. Ten minutes on the phone at a $250 hourly rate is going to cost you like $75. Maybe your attorney is trying to respect your budget.

Regardless, in response to the above, that is absolutely absurd. Money cannot be removed from escrow until the attorney earns it. So, returning your call would benefit your attorney because it would entitle your attorney to your retainer money. Any attorney who removes money from the escrow account before the attorney has a right to bill for that money is at risk of being disbarred. Very few attorneys make that kind of mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I did a brief stint in a family law practice and it might be a money thing. They make a lot their money off of the initial consults. Quick and easy upfront cash. After that they have your money in "escrow" so they can take their time getting back to you.

I don't know why your attorney hasn't called you because it's kind of hard to understand your relationship. You say you are on a limited budget and presumably conveyed this to your attorney, but then you want your attorney to do things that spend your money - like call you. Ten minutes on the phone at a $250 hourly rate is going to cost you like $75. Maybe your attorney is trying to respect your budget.

Regardless, in response to the above, that is absolutely absurd. Money cannot be removed from escrow until the attorney earns it. So, returning your call would benefit your attorney because it would entitle your attorney to your retainer money. Any attorney who removes money from the escrow account before the attorney has a right to bill for that money is at risk of being disbarred. Very few attorneys make that kind of mistake.

Ok the hourly rate was double. I provided a retainer. I am an attorney and I know returning a call or email ain't free. Op

[Anonymous]

OP,

My lawyer was like this, too. Always in court, etc. I wish I'd found a new one. Get his/her assistant on the phone and demand a response. Did they cash the retainer check?

[Anonymous]

Maybe she's in trial right now.

[Anonymous]

Simple custody agreement/support retainers were about $3,000. Divorce retainers $7,000. $8,000+ was for the people they hoped wouldn't retain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I did a brief stint in a family law practice and it might be a money thing. They make a lot their money off of the initial consults. Quick and easy upfront cash. After that they have your money in "escrow" so they can take their time getting back to you.

I don't know why your attorney hasn't called you because it's kind of hard to understand your relationship. You say you are on a limited budget and presumably conveyed this to your attorney, but then you want your attorney to do things that spend your money - like call you. Ten minutes on the phone at a $250 hourly rate is going to cost you like $75. Maybe your attorney is trying to respect your budget.

Regardless, in response to the above, that is absolutely absurd. Money cannot be removed from escrow until the attorney earns it. So, returning your call would benefit your attorney because it would entitle your attorney to your retainer money. Any attorney who removes money from the escrow account before the attorney has a right to bill for that money is at risk of being disbarred. Very few attorneys make that kind of mistake.

Agree. Legal secretary here - clients used to get so angry at my boss for not calling them back, but then they were so quick to call me to complain about being charged for phone calls where all the attorney said was "I haven't heard from the other side yet; we're still waiting" and then listened to the clients bitch about how difficult waiting was for 20 minutes. You can't use your lawyer as a therapist. When I first started working for the family law attorney I thought she was terrible because she was always avoiding clients' calls. Then I realized she was trying to save them money. You can't have it both ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple custody agreement/support retainers were about $3,000. Divorce retainers $7,000. $8,000+ was for the people they hoped wouldn't retain.

Sheesh. Well it was not the go away price...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I did a brief stint in a family law practice and it might be a money thing. They make a lot their money off of the initial consults. Quick and easy upfront cash. After that they have your money in "escrow" so they can take their time getting back to you.

I don't know why your attorney hasn't called you because it's kind of hard to understand your relationship. You say you are on a limited budget and presumably conveyed this to your attorney, but then you want your attorney to do things that spend your money - like call you. Ten minutes on the phone at a $250 hourly rate is going to cost you like $75. Maybe your attorney is trying to respect your budget.

Regardless, in response to the above, that is absolutely absurd. Money cannot be removed from escrow until the attorney earns it. So, returning your call would benefit your attorney because it would entitle your attorney to your retainer money. Any attorney who removes money from the escrow account before the attorney has a right to bill for that money is at risk of being disbarred. Very few attorneys make that kind of mistake.

Agree. Legal secretary here - clients used to get so angry at my boss for not calling them back, but then they were so quick to call me to complain about being charged for phone calls where all the attorney said was "I haven't heard from the other side yet; we're still waiting" and then listened to the clients bitch about how difficult waiting was for 20 minutes. You can't use your lawyer as a therapist. When I first started working for the family law attorney I thought she was terrible because she was always avoiding clients' calls. Then I realized she was trying to save them money. You can't have it both ways.

Thanks you are both way over assuming. I wanted the attorney to do the job I hired out to be done. Find ex. Sue ex. I find ex and could not get ahold of attorney to file and serve. Support tolls at filing so this "saving of money" was costing money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple custody agreement/support retainers were about $3,000. Divorce retainers $7,000. $8,000+ was for the people they hoped wouldn't retain.

Sheesh. Well it was not the go away price...

Just got a go away qoute

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I did a brief stint in a family law practice and it might be a money thing. They make a lot their money off of the initial consults. Quick and easy upfront cash. After that they have your money in "escrow" so they can take their time getting back to you.

I don't know why your attorney hasn't called you because it's kind of hard to understand your relationship. You say you are on a limited budget and presumably conveyed this to your attorney, but then you want your attorney to do things that spend your money - like call you. Ten minutes on the phone at a $250 hourly rate is going to cost you like $75. Maybe your attorney is trying to respect your budget.

Regardless, in response to the above, that is absolutely absurd. Money cannot be removed from escrow until the attorney earns it. So, returning your call would benefit your attorney because it would entitle your attorney to your retainer money. Any attorney who removes money from the escrow account before the attorney has a right to bill for that money is at risk of being disbarred. Very few attorneys make that kind of mistake.

Agree. Legal secretary here - clients used to get so angry at my boss for not calling them back, but then they were so quick to call me to complain about being charged for phone calls where all the attorney said was "I haven't heard from the other side yet; we're still waiting" and then listened to the clients bitch about how difficult waiting was for 20 minutes. You can't use your lawyer as a therapist. When I first started working for the family law attorney I thought she was terrible because she was always avoiding clients' calls. Then I realized she was trying to save them money. You can't have it both ways.

Thanks you are both way over assuming. I wanted the attorney to do the job I hired out to be done. Find ex. Sue ex. I find ex and could not get ahold of attorney to file and serve. Support tolls at filing so this "saving of money" was costing money.

No one is over assuming. You asked a question and didn't provide much information. People are throwing out ideas of why your call might not have been returned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple custody agreement/support retainers were about $3,000. Divorce retainers $7,000. $8,000+ was for the people they hoped wouldn't retain.

All of this seems cheap. How much does it cost to go to court?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple custody agreement/support retainers were about $3,000. Divorce retainers $7,000. $8,000+ was for the people they hoped wouldn't retain.

All of this seems cheap. How much does it cost to go to court?

I spent $18k. Worth every penny to have my daughter under my roof 24 out of 30 nights a month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple custody agreement/support retainers were about $3,000. Divorce retainers $7,000. $8,000+ was for the people they hoped wouldn't retain.

All of this seems cheap. How much does it cost to go to court?

I spent $18k. Worth every penny to have my daughter under my roof 24 out of 30 nights a month.

Your retainer was 18k?