I am sure there are tons of pet peeves by family lawyers and firms from people getting second opinions.
I look at Family Law lawyers with a respect bordering on bewildered awe.
Speaking for myself, I find family law clients much, much, more difficult to deal with than
tax cheats, dodgy company directors, Centrelink cheats, habitual driving offenders,
lunatic-right-wing-union-basher employers, illegal immigrants, drug dealers, armed robbers,
and drug-dog-detected English rich kid backpackers.
The new partners/ spouses of family law clients can be even more difficult to deal with.
This because they tend to fill clients' heads with stuff like
"You should get/have/do/say...";
"You have a right to...";
"That's not what my cousin's lawyer did...";
"Google says..."
and, of course,
"I asked about this on lawanswers.com.au, and
some guy who said he'd been through the same thing said..."
In dealing with a lawyer, it can be helpful to understand the following
- A lawyer can sack a client where the lawyer does not have confidence that the client will take their advice.
-> And you still have to pay them for the work they've done "so far".
- A lawyer can also either sack a client, or refuse to take one on, if that client (or would-be client)
lies when asked a question like "Do you already have a lawyer?"
-> And they can still bill you for a meeting where they decide that don't want to take you on.
- You (or your partner, as applicable) can ask your existing lawyer to explain the how and why (and the why not)
of what they're doing. Do not, however, expect them to show how to DIY, unless you're prepared to pay full rate for the time and skill.
- Same with "Can you just look over what I've done and tell me if it's OK?"
Very often Sometimes what a client "wants" isn't achievable - often because there is no evidence,
and/or no grounds upon which to base an application.
Sometimes, what they "want" isn't even available at law.- A lawyer is not obliged to be (and, indeed is not allowed to be) the mere mouthpiece of the client.
Rather, their job is to apply skills and knowledge to the client's facts and circumstances.
A couple of other things....
We're not actually allowed to "fight" just for fighting's sake.
Nor are we allowed to "fight"just because the client is filled with resentment
and wants power-balance-restoring vengeance (take note, estranged husbands).
We're not allowed to "fight on" if we know, or believe,as a matter of professional judgement,
that the client won't "win".
Nor are we allowed to be anything even close to as hysterical as you see on TV.
If your partner is having an unsatifsfactory customer service experience,
then they should start by having a sit down with the lawyer to sort it out.
As to showing respect, you do that by paying the bill in full before you go elsewhere.
