Working with Attorneys

How to terminate the relationship (there is a right way to do it)

If the relationship between you and your lawyer has deteriorated to the point that termination seems to you to be the best option for all concerned, don’t lose heart.  It happens.  Clients learn, over time, what their preferences are in terms of the legal, accountancy, managerial, and financial advice they like to receive, and it’s only natural that, over time, they will occasionally discover that they ended up with the wrong service provider to serve them.

The best way to terminate an attorney-client relationship is to do so crisply, professionally, and in writing.  State the date you would like the termination to be effective (most likely the date of the letter), and also state what, if any, actions you would like the lawyer to take going forward (e.g., forwarding of files to you or to your new attorney, or archiving of files for safekeeping until you’ve located a new attorney).

Make sure to inquire if there are any time-sensitive matters that you should be aware of, letting him or her know that you might very well be inclined to keep them on for another few weeks if it gets you past a critical milestone or court-imposed deadline.

Bottom line: communicate as effectively as possible even when terminating the relationship as the mismanagement of transitions (such as the transition from your old law firm to your new one) can cause problems too.