Q: My lawyer is incompetent and is ignoring my calls repeatedly. Is there any recourse or help with this?
Paid 3 thousand dollars for guardianship case for my handicapped brother and it’s turned into an absolute nightmare.
A:
If the attorney-client relationship is not repairable due to the attorney, and you have a pending case/guardianship matter, you should contact a competent family lawyer right away. It is possible that if you explain the situation, they will work with you regarding attorney fees. You will want to salvage the case where possible, and ensure you don't miss any important court deadlines or hearings. If paying additional money is a significant concern, you may consider reaching out to Maryland Legal Aid or a number of the other free/low cost legal services in Maryland. You will want to disclose to them the full extent of the situation, because they will need to ensure that your previous attorney withdraws from the case.
Finally, depending on the severity of the issues you've been experiencing with your attorney's representation, you may consider filing a complaint with the Attorney Grievance Commission. These complaints are very serious and could effect the attorney's ability to continue in the practice of law. All Maryland attorneys are required to abide by the Professional Rules of Conduct when carrying out a practice of law. Rule 19-301.3, mandates that we handle every case with diligence and we are to be committed and dedicated to every client matter we take on.
Here is a link to the Attorney Grievance Complaint: https://www.courts.state.md.us/attygrievance/complaint
I am so sorry that a matter this personal was not handled with the care that you expected and deserve. I hope that the issues are able to be resolved.
Best of luck to you.
Cedulie Renee Laumann agrees with this answer
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