I'd comment on his ability as an attorney if we had gone as far as him actually doing the work. However, after a meeting with Joe mid- month, we planned on starting a ch. 13 bankruptcy asap.
To complicate matters, I was working within a short window of time, Joe knew this. Any action would need to be filed by the 30th of this month.
After meeting him and his father at his office for several hours, we had a pretty clear game plan and I left awaiting next steps. Several days went by, I heard nothing. I left two voicemail messages, got no return call.
On the 17th, a letter confirming our plan of action arrived and on the same day, Joe's mother, who also works at his office called me looking for a document that doesn't exist. This document was discussed in office ad nauseam. I advised his mother again, that there was no such executed document. All I had was a document I received after the fact and I would send that to them. I did so, and received no confirmation of receipt, no follow up.
This past week, my other lawyer tried reaching out to Joe, to collaborate. They never connected.
Yesterday, the 29th, with one day left to file this action, I called Joe again to find out what was happening.
He proceeded to explain to me that he did not wish to proceed with the plan of action because he felt like I had a separate action against my previous lawyers and would not file anything against another lawyer.
I asked him if my bankruptcy could just be filed on its own without a simultaneous action against the previous attorney. He said yes, then quoted me $4500 to do the bankruptcy after telling me previously that it would cost $1895 to do the bankruptcy. He then continued on about how no lawyer would sue another lawyer, and trying to reroute the conversation back to the bankruptcy, I told him that I know an attorney that does legal malpractice (which I do) and should I contact him for the other leg of this "idea" Joe had- then we could just focus on the bankruptcy.
Joe became irate, and began to raise his voice at me. He told me that he isn't going to handle my bankruptcy and when I asked why, as we carried forward this whole time with the understanding that we were going forward, Joe raised his voice again and told me to "get over it and grow the fuck up" then hung up the phone on me.
He left me in quite a precarious situation, and I don't think it's fair to do that to someone who was led to believe they had a plan of action.
I believe Joe maybe was in over his head with the complexity of the case and didn't expect me to tell him I knew an attorney that practices legal malpractice. Lawyers don't generally like lawyers that sue other lawyers and I believe that confirming I have a relationship with one spooked Joe.
Regardless, Joe didn't act professionally or ethically in handling his concerns, waiting until I tracked him down to discuss them, and until the eleventh hour to leave me high and dry.
A caveat to anyone with pressing matters, perhaps. Also, be warned that the rest of the firm is just lovely. His legal assistant is no nonsense but wonderful. His father takes his time and is genuinely caring. Joe Sr. Well warn you that his son is impatient and hard to get along with but stick it out, once he gets going, he's quite good.
Sr. didn't lie about the impatience of his son. The talking over, interrupting, condescending at, "yeah yeah, I don't have time to listen to this" and "I'm the busiest guy here" and then subsequently ask you to answer a question that you had just explained but his tone was too precious to stop and just listen.
Separate of that, as a woman, he irked the hell out of me. A part of our issues involved the purchase of our home, and he kept making comments like "yeah, women are like that, their home is their whole existence" and "my wife is just like this so I can see you're the same way ". Honestly, I felt like it was 1956 and I was being talked to about how "dames" feel and what "chicks" do. Absolutely clueless, condescending, and unable to read the room. read more
