A while back, I contacted an attorney about a business matter. At the end of the meeting, I asked him about charges and a retainer fee. He specifically told me there would be no charges unless he got the money owed to my company.
After a few months of nothing more than letters back and forth between him and the company that owed me, and a very snide comment he made to me, I sought a consultation from another law firm.
Turned out, the first lawyer had nearly cost me the ability to file a lien (he had refused to do it for me). I made a mad scramble to wire a retainer and fees to the new attorney so that he could get the legal forms filed before my time ran out; less than 48 hours. The new attorney notified the first attorney that he was being fired and why.
Some time went by. In the process of continuing to be difficult, the company I was seeking payment from sent a response making mention of firing the first lawyer, and they CC'd that lawyer on the letter. Two weeks later, I had a bill from the first attorney. The bill was sent to my home, not my business, and was addressed to my spouse, not me, not my business. No itemization of fees, just a lump-sum total due.
What thoughts does anyone have on this? To date, the first law firm has not provided me with a requested itemization. The attorney who got the case settled for me indicated I wasn't obligated, as he (the first lawyer) had told me I wouldn't owe unless he collected for me, he had never discussed his fees with me, and the firm has not provided an itemization. The way he had handled things almost cost me the most cost effective option to get the money paid, and by the time all was said and done, it cost me almost $4,000 to collect the monies due in the contract; most of my profit.
Does the first firm have to provide me an itemization?
Am I obligated to pay?
After a few months of nothing more than letters back and forth between him and the company that owed me, and a very snide comment he made to me, I sought a consultation from another law firm.
Turned out, the first lawyer had nearly cost me the ability to file a lien (he had refused to do it for me). I made a mad scramble to wire a retainer and fees to the new attorney so that he could get the legal forms filed before my time ran out; less than 48 hours. The new attorney notified the first attorney that he was being fired and why.
Some time went by. In the process of continuing to be difficult, the company I was seeking payment from sent a response making mention of firing the first lawyer, and they CC'd that lawyer on the letter. Two weeks later, I had a bill from the first attorney. The bill was sent to my home, not my business, and was addressed to my spouse, not me, not my business. No itemization of fees, just a lump-sum total due.
What thoughts does anyone have on this? To date, the first law firm has not provided me with a requested itemization. The attorney who got the case settled for me indicated I wasn't obligated, as he (the first lawyer) had told me I wouldn't owe unless he collected for me, he had never discussed his fees with me, and the firm has not provided an itemization. The way he had handled things almost cost me the most cost effective option to get the money paid, and by the time all was said and done, it cost me almost $4,000 to collect the monies due in the contract; most of my profit.
Does the first firm have to provide me an itemization?
Am I obligated to pay?
