When you decided to work with your last attorney, it was because you were told that they were good at what they did. You read about them and saw that they had experience in all the areas that mattered.
What you didn’t expect was for your attorney to be so disrespectful to you. The first time you met, they kept interrupting you while you spoke. Later, they failed to return your calls, and when you questioned them, they snapped at you and said that you needed to be patient.
In your mind, the attorney has violated their ethical obligation to you. They’re rude and disrespectful. You don’t trust that they’ll handle your case well. Can you pursue a claim against them?
Rudeness isn’t necessarily illegal
The first thing to remember is that people can be rude without violating the law. Attorneys are people, too, so there will be days when they are stressed or anxious. They might be tired or frustrated. That doesn’t excuse bad behavior, but it also doesn’t mean that your attorney isn’t putting their best efforts into your case.
Most attorneys have an intake process where they decide if they want to take your case or not. They weigh the options to determine if they want to have you as a client or not. As a client, you should have a process like this as well.
When you meet an attorney, talk to them for a while. Get to know their attitude and see if you “click.” If you feel that they are rude or dismissive, then move on to another attorney.
If you’re already working with an attorney and start having trouble because of their behavior, that’s when a lawsuit might be possible in the future. For example, if the attorney was rude to you at your last meeting and now won’t return your calls, that lack of communication could hurt your case. At that point, you may want to talk to a different attorney about malpractice or how to make sure your case is still filed with enough time to pursue the results that you want.