I am in a very difficult legal situation and need some advice.
I have been involved in a long running legal dispute with the purchasers of a block of land, which I sold in 2020.
In November 2023, I engaged a new solicitor for my upcoming court case on the 1 May 2024.
However, despite doing absolutely everything asked of me from my end (and always on time), my solicitor did not submit my documents to be discovered until less than a week before the trial (when he sent the plaintiff’s solicitor 350+ pages), thus giving them a very valid reason to seek an adjournment.
This was despite my solicitor having all the material in his possession for a number of months, and me telling him that I simply could not afford for the case to be adjourned for a third time!
I have racked up an incredible legal bill of around $60,000 dollars in only 5 months! (inclusive of a significant amount of barrister fees), only for the case to not go ahead because of what I believe to be my solicitor’s inexcusable negligence.
Negligence which has resulted in me being financially ruined, and being no closer to having my case resolved.
I believe that I should not be required to pay the final amount owing ($15,000 approx.), in addition to being entitled to a significant a reimbursement for costs already paid ($45,000 approx.), most of which has gone to waste due to no fault of my own.
What are my legal rights in a matter like this?
How much is reasonable to ask to be discounted off the final bill / to be reimbursed for?
Is getting another lawyer to sue him an option, if he does not agree to a discount/reimbursement?
It just feels incredibly unjust what has occurred and added significantly to the mental, emotional and financial pain, which I have already been dealing with for a number of years now.
Unless I am able to receive a large discount/recoup some of the money, I will not be in a position to properly defend myself in the case moving forward. This was my last chance.
Thank you
I have been involved in a long running legal dispute with the purchasers of a block of land, which I sold in 2020.
In November 2023, I engaged a new solicitor for my upcoming court case on the 1 May 2024.
However, despite doing absolutely everything asked of me from my end (and always on time), my solicitor did not submit my documents to be discovered until less than a week before the trial (when he sent the plaintiff’s solicitor 350+ pages), thus giving them a very valid reason to seek an adjournment.
This was despite my solicitor having all the material in his possession for a number of months, and me telling him that I simply could not afford for the case to be adjourned for a third time!
I have racked up an incredible legal bill of around $60,000 dollars in only 5 months! (inclusive of a significant amount of barrister fees), only for the case to not go ahead because of what I believe to be my solicitor’s inexcusable negligence.
Negligence which has resulted in me being financially ruined, and being no closer to having my case resolved.
I believe that I should not be required to pay the final amount owing ($15,000 approx.), in addition to being entitled to a significant a reimbursement for costs already paid ($45,000 approx.), most of which has gone to waste due to no fault of my own.
What are my legal rights in a matter like this?
How much is reasonable to ask to be discounted off the final bill / to be reimbursed for?
Is getting another lawyer to sue him an option, if he does not agree to a discount/reimbursement?
It just feels incredibly unjust what has occurred and added significantly to the mental, emotional and financial pain, which I have already been dealing with for a number of years now.
Unless I am able to receive a large discount/recoup some of the money, I will not be in a position to properly defend myself in the case moving forward. This was my last chance.
Thank you
