Forum menu
So in summary, Lawyers on the whole [i]aren't[/i] all 'scum of Capitalism' after all then.
And this thread is definitely a stupid.
hmm. afraid i'm a little jaundiced. split up with my ex last year.
the first lawyer who drafted our separation agreement got my name wrong, at the first meeting seemed to be telling me that everything was fine and it wasn't going to cost a lot of money, then at the second meeting told me everything was fine but that it was actually going to cost me a lot of money ( though i'm fully prepared to accept that i may just have misunderstood the first time ). he also obtained copies of documents that we had agreed i would submit to him ( ie he did not need to get the copies as i provided the documents ). and charged me what seemed like rather a lot of money ( though i do understand everyone has to make a living ).
the person in their firm who did the conveyancing, in conjunction with my ex's solicitors, took nearly six months to do it ( when the house was bought, using 'her' solictors, all paperwork was done and dusted in just 2 weeks ).
it was suggested i take out insurance to protect against any claim that the house was disposed to me for a 'small amount' in the event of my ex going into bankruptcy. there was no explanation of the relevant legislation referenced, nor that there was a more recent piece of legislation passed that suggested such insurance was not required. it was presented that the building society required that i take this protection. it was also not made clear that the insurance was provided by the solictor's firm until i asked who the provider was. the building society's mortgage advisor had to ask his head office what it was all about when i asked him, as he'd never heard of it. later, when it came for me to settle up, the cost of this insurance had dropped by nearly 50%. when i enquired as to why this cost had changed, i was told that the original quote was wrong because it applied to a commercial property.
when it came to settling up with my ex, they told me to pay the money into their account, so that they could then pay into hers. presumably so they could earn a bit on interest and on the necessary admin.
how they managed to get things wrong, delay so long, charge so much money, and inadequately explain things to someone who is, by definition, a lay-man, and look themselves in the mirror in the morning amazes me.
naturally, at the end of the day, i just ****ing paid. the ex was already taking my trousers down, a few more hundred quid to them really wasn't the be all and end all, and i just wanted it all done.
i was in a 5hit situation but they really didn't make things easier.
now i just hope that i do actually own my house and i'm not going to loose it because of some **** up the lazy, greedy, inadequate tossers have made while they were otherwise engaged counting my money.
forgive me. i am certain that there are some very good, conscientious processionals out there who provide good value and good service. sadly i had the misfortune of dealing with this lot.
lawyers can only make money if they find a client (someone either genuinly agreevied or someone out to make money rather than MTFU)..
if the public were geniune and honest about what they were claiming as being unjust / a loss to them their would be no market for no win no fee ambulance chasers and the more commercial side of lawyering as their would be insufficient business to sustain them..
have a public believing someone else is always to blame, and you create a desire for free and easy legal representation that feeds on society perpetuating the ever increasing need for everyone to insure themselves their property against ever increasing stupid claims etc, etc... a self fulfilling downwards spiral, created through mankinds greed but ONLY facilitated by the legal system that has developed through our Greed..
society is at fault..
i'm very pleased for you that life is so black and white. i can only hope you never find yourself on the arse end of a bad relationship or other slightly more 'grey' situation. unfortunately life has a habit of throwing up situations where people, however reasonable under more normal circumstances, turn into something altogether different under more abnormal circumstances.
selah.
where people, however reasonable under more normal circumstances, turn into something altogether different under more abnormal circumstances.
At risk of commenting on a situ that's personal and difficult and maening this more generally, so with respect, I'd say that abnormal situations reveal people's true character rather than turning people into something different. Personal morals are those shown under duress, it's easy to be a good guy in easier situtions.
Society includes lawyers )society is at fault..
I'm a lawyer (and IMHO a decent one - I'm ranked in legal 500 and chambers in my subject area)
What firm? I was once a region editor of one of the publications you listed, before I escaped.
Big national firm - nowhere near magic circle level though.
So has the jury arrived at a unanimous decision?
Big national firm - nowhere near magic circle level though
What practice?