How to sack a lawyer in 6 steps

Let me tell you about John. John is a 40 year old carpenter living in Chermside, QLD, building his dream house – a log cabin on a 40 acre block with water frontage to Lake Boondooma. He had been out of work for 3 months as a result of a horrible rear-end accident that left him with a severely broken leg and whiplash to his neck and lower back. John decided to raise a claim to recover his lost earnings and other care costs. He found a local lawyer and they set up the initial meeting. The lawyers said everything right and John agreed that they could begin the initial process of starting a claim to replace his lost income and superannuation.

4 months later…

John hadn’t heard a single thing from his lawyers. He had no idea where his claim was at or if his legal fees were racking up without his knowledge. John was frustrated and stressed that this decision could cost him years in wasted time he will never get back. John’s growing thought was…

“This decision was a waste of time. All I was trying to do was cover the mortgage bills for the family because I was out of work. These lawyers have screwed me over. Now I have no way to pay my bills and I might lose the roof over my kids’ heads.”

MCW Legal is part of a well-establish national law firm that has been in operation since 1975. We are specialists in income replacement law as well as tax, superannuation and property related issues. We help people like John by giving them a second opinion. Sometimes the simple solution is to change lawyers. It is not complicated. There are six steps that people like John if they are considering switching lawyers.

The six steps to sack a lawyer:

1. Organise to meet with another law firm. Get a second opinion. Use this 32 point compensation lawyer evaluation checklist as a starting point. Get a second, third and further opinion if you need to.
2. Give your confirmation to the new law firm you wish to move your case to their firm.
3. The new firm should then contact your previous lawyer and advise them of the change.
4. Make sure the new law firm deals with any fees owing to your previous lawyer.
5. Make sure that you will not have to pay anything extra or any fees up-front with the new firm.
6. Confirm that you do not have to speak to your old lawyer again

John downloaded the 32 Point Compensation Lawyer Evaluation Checklist, made sure he followed the six steps above and six months later….

He was receiving monthly updates and fee estimates to track the progress of his claim. John settled his claim at conference and received enough money to cover the cost of his lost earnings and was able to finish off his log cabin at his very own piece of paradise. Had John not changed lawyers, who knows where his claim would be or how much his legal fees would be? Certainly not John.