COntingency Fees????

[stephen99]

What is the name of your state? PA

I recently had a problem with a car dealership. They spot delivered car and never got me financed. They gave me the car and about 3 weeks later came to my job and took the car off the lot. I had all the paper work stating that the deal was final. Rgesitration, bill of sale with monthly payment and interest rate. I decided to hire an attorney on a contingency basis and signed an agreement with then for 40% of whatever they recovered. The other day I went to the dealership to retrieve my belongings out of the car. I sat with the CFO of the company and he offered me $7500.00 to close the deal without going to court as long as I withdrew my complaint with the Attonrny General. I havent made a decision yet although it sounds great to me. My questions is that since i bargained the deal directly with the car dealership do I owe the law firm anything? The law firm told me to send a certified letter stating the contents and set up a time to get them.

Thanks very much for all your help!

Steve

 

[hexeliebe]

I decided to hire an attorney on a contingency basis and signed an agreement with then for 40% of whatever they recovered.

You did not negotiate this yourself. You acted on the advice of your attorney. If you think the settlement minus 40% is too low, simply take their offer to your attorney and sit back and wait.

 

[stephen99]

all i did was go to the dealership to get my stuff. As the attorneys secretary told me to do. The owner just asked me if we could talk a bit about the situation at hand. She never told me to negotiate a deal. I actually never had a meeting with the firm or spoke to the lawyer directly. Would you have an idea as to the value of the case? I just dont see the value of 40% of something they did not negotiate.

thanks again

 

[hexeliebe]

The law firm told me to send a certified letter stating the contents and set up a time to get them.

I'm not going to keep this going. You signed an agreement with the law firm, the law firm gave you advice. As a result of that advice you were offered a settlement.

What part of contracts don't you understand?

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state? PA

I recently had a problem with a car dealership. They spot delivered car and never got me financed. They gave me the car and about 3 weeks later came to my job and took the car off the lot. I had all the paper work stating that the deal was final. Rgesitration, bill of sale with monthly payment and interest rate. I decided to hire an attorney on a contingency basis and signed an agreement with then for 40% of whatever they recovered. The other day I went to the dealership to retrieve my belongings out of the car. I sat with the CFO of the company and he offered me $7500.00 to close the deal without going to court as long as I withdrew my complaint with the Attonrny General. I havent made a decision yet although it sounds great to me. My questions is that since i bargained the deal directly with the car dealership do I owe the law firm anything? The law firm told me to send a certified letter stating the contents and set up a time to get them.

Thanks very much for all your help!

Steve

**A: this is great. You come to a legal advice website asking if you owe the law firm anything after signing a contingecy agreement with the law firm. You would make an ideal politician.

 

[hexeliebe]

Hey HG, Can I play with this mouse? PLEASE???

 

[HomeGuru]

Have at it hexy.

 

[hexeliebe]

stephen99;

You have three options and only three:

1. Tell the CFO you would be happy to agree to what they want, drop your suit, cash the check and go about your merry way. But make sure you save all the money, including about $5,000 more for the lawsuit the Law Firm will file for breach of contract. And good luck finding legal representation to support your cause.

2. Take the agreement with your signature on it and the check that has been issued to you to the Law Firm you hired, show them both and tell them "What do I need you guys for? See, I did this all on my own." Then walk out.

Oh, by the way, when you walk out see number 1 above.

3. Tell the CFO you want your attorney to review the agreement and take it to the Law Firm you hired.


I personally don't give a rat's ass which of the above you choose. I hope you choose either 1 or 2 because you deserve what will happen to you if you do.

Good luck trying to ever find another attorney or getting advice on this forum on how to walk away from your legal responsibilities.

Because it ain't gonna happen.

 

[stephen99]

First of all I never said i was trying to get away form my legal responsibilites. I just felt that they didnt do enough to deserve 40%. They never contacted the dealership or myself for that matter. Except for the email telling me to send a certified letter. isnt that something that the firm should do? I never actually spoke to the actual "lawyer" at the firm just his secretary via email. I called many times trying to talk to a human being, but to no avail. They are either out to lunch, in court, with a client, etc......I cant even find out what type of settlement this is worth considering i cant talk to anyone about it. To me $7500.00 is an awful lot of money. What would you do and how would you feel???? By the way being obnoxious and rather rude is not becoming of yourself.

 

[hexeliebe]

Then quit acting like a punk. Either do what I suggested and when they come after you spend the entire settlement trying to defend yourself in court, or sit down with them and discuss the matter.

Who knows, they may suggest a smaller contingency, but don't bet on it.

As for what I would do, that doesn't really apply here now does it? But I will tell you, I have lost a hell of a lot more money honoring contracts I have signed and were not able to fulfill simply because my signature and promise to perform mean a lot to me.

Where I come from, a handshake is a binding agreement. PERIOD.

 

[stephen99]

I guess since you consider a handshake a binding agreement then you would agree that 1-2 hours of work is NOT worth $3000.00(40% 0f 7500.00) I believe they deserve something for thie time. I dont deny that one bit. I also believe and honest days work deserves an HONEST days pay. Im not here to fight with you or argue for that matter. I jsut dont see the value in what was done. Do you?

 

[hexeliebe]

Yes, because you agreed to pay it.

Case Closed.

 

[stephen99]

Thank God you cant take people serious on this site. Or if you do definately double check who the hell your talking too. "Hexihillbilly" I would guess doesn't really know much about law, unless hes still stuck in the 60's and refers to his information from that time. I spoke to the attorneys today and they are NOT charging me for my efforts to close my own deal. NOT ONE DIME. So much for "free advice". I would advise NOT to take anything this guy says as good advice.

 

[hexeliebe]

Well here's some advice you can take or leave.

You're a punk!

 

[drago]

Soooo......Hexy tells you to talk with them about it to see if they
are willing to reduce fees.

You take his advice, they let you off the hook.

Sounds like great advice to me.

Can you say "thank you hexy"?