As three-thirty rolled around, [criminal defense attorney Edward] Hayes began to worry that his client wouldn’t be able to afford him. “Oh, God,” he said. I’m gonna be here all day, and I won’t get any money.” After a while, the judge appeared, and [attorney Ken] Frenkel’s client, “Johnny Five,” a tall man with a world-class gut, emerged for questioning… “We’ll fight the case,” Frenkel said. Hayes, sitting in the back, had a change of heart. “I fucking love him like a brother,” he said of his client. “I’m gonna represent him.” – Lizzie Widdicombe, January 31, 2011 The New Yorker, “The Bench: Roundup”
When I began Sidebar, I planned to lead plaintiffs gently through a lawsuit. I did not expect to be writing so much about problems with lawyers. But hey, events have led me down this path. So, rather than digging out and re-planting the links to bring you continually up to date on the unpleasant subject, I’ve created a new sub-category under the Stages of Any Lawsuit category. It’s called “X. Problems with your lawyer.” As of today, there are 29 entries.
What this means is, neither of us has to dig out the links. They are pre-dug.
And now I’ve got to get back to the problems with my lawyer who finally did at my insistence send me a draft Closing Statement. But I have questions about his expenses and disbursements. Some sharp questions. So I’m about to write a letter requesting further clarification. And I’ll be asking to see some of the actual bills.
At the same time, I’m got some softened beans on the stove and need to get them into chili. Chicken chili, I guess, because I had some chicken in the freezer. So…