Bait n Switch Lawyer...Payment Plan...Must I Pay? Please HELP! Thank-you.

jp07083 said:

I hired Lawyer1 from FirmX because he had the charisma, speech, etc, etc of a winner, and I thought with someone like him, I'd get a dismissed case. Well, I paid his outrageous asking price because I wanted the best. I sign for his services, was put on a payment plan where I paid half up front and have two payments left. The thing is, he never even showed up to court, but instead sent his associates to handle my legal preceding. I never signed a contract with the associates. Must I pay?

*Signed Contract with Lawyer1 from Firm for $5000.
*Paid / Received Receipt for $2500.
*Represented by an "Associate" (for First Appearance) and Lawyer2 from same Firm (for Pre-Trial Date {where I accepted a plea}).
*Never Signed Contracts with "Associate" or Lawyer2.

I feel I was "sold" an A+ Lawyer1 and instead delivered a B+ Lawyer2. Given this bait and switch, am I legally obligated to win? Would it be an easy or even likely to be filed case at all? I'm very concerned, because I have a payment due very soon for $1250, and I am not happy with my results or service. If I don't pay, what is the absolute worse he can come back at me with? If he sues me, how much more than the $2500 I owe him would that end up costing me? What are my real options / consequences here? Thanks a million!

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jp07083 said:

I hired Lawyer1 from FirmX because he had the charisma, speech, etc, etc of a winner, and I thought with someone like him, I'd get a dismissed case. Well, I paid his outrageous asking price because I wanted the best. I sign for his services, was put on a payment plan where I paid half up front and have two payments left. The thing is, he never even showed up to court, but instead sent his associates to handle my legal preceding. I never signed a contract with the associates. Must I pay?

*Signed Contract with Lawyer1 from Firm for $5000.
*Paid / Received Receipt for $2500.
*Represented by an "Associate" (for First Appearance) and Lawyer2 from same Firm (for Pre-Trial Date {where I accepted a plea}).
*Never Signed Contracts with "Associate" or Lawyer2.

I feel I was "sold" an A+ Lawyer1 and instead delivered a B+ Lawyer2. Given this bait and switch, am I legally obligated to win? Would it be an easy or even likely to be filed case at all? I'm very concerned, because I have a payment due very soon for $1250, and I am not happy with my results or service. If I don't pay, what is the absolute worse he can come back at me with? If he sues me, how much more than the $2500 I owe him would that end up costing me? What are my real options / consequences here? Thanks a million!

Click to expand...

ElvinMelvin said:

Check your contract. It is quite possible that you contracted with the firm and not a specific attorney, in which case they may have reserved the right to use any or the firm's attorneys they saw fit.

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Zigner said:

You aren't happy with the result? Then why did you accept the plea? YOU accepted the result in court.

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jp07083 said:

1) I was advised by "Lawyer2" to accept the deal that "Lawyer1" "supposedly" set-up.
2) I only accepted it because I was scared ****less of an alternative. Plus, I did not want a pissed off lawyer representing me, and they already had $2500 of my money from day 1 so firing them was out of the question.
3) I see you have lots of posts, and you're probably an asset here, but you need to drop your judgmental attitude. You don't know my situation, my thoughts, my life, and using a "rolleyes" smiley proves what a sarcastic prick you are being.

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jp07083 said:

I hired Lawyer1 from FirmX because he had the charisma, speech, etc, etc of a winner, and I thought with someone like him, I'd get a dismissed case. Well, I paid his outrageous asking price because I wanted the best. I sign for his services, was put on a payment plan where I paid half up front and have two payments left. The thing is, he never even showed up to court, but instead sent his associates to handle my legal preceding. I never signed a contract with the associates. Must I pay?

*Signed Contract with Lawyer1 from Firm for $5000.
*Paid / Received Receipt for $2500.
*Represented by an "Associate" (for First Appearance) and Lawyer2 from same Firm (for Pre-Trial Date {where I accepted a plea}).
*Never Signed Contracts with "Associate" or Lawyer2.

I feel I was "sold" an A+ Lawyer1 and instead delivered a B+ Lawyer2. Given this bait and switch, am I legally obligated to win? Would it be an easy or even likely to be filed case at all? I'm very concerned, because I have a payment due very soon for $1250, and I am not happy with my results or service. If I don't pay, what is the absolute worse he can come back at me with? If he sues me, how much more than the $2500 I owe him would that end up costing me? What are my real options / consequences here? Thanks a million!

Click to expand...