To be pissed off with my solicitor

[TartWithTheCart35]

Only just started divorce proceedings so saw my solicitor for the first time middle of sept. Stbxh received divorce papers last week.

So I rung my sol up today to make an app regarding the financial disclosure to be told she has gone on adoption leave until Feb!! My details have been passed to another sol and her secretary was surprised she didn't tell me!

I'm so pissed off because this sol was recommended to me and she has said we will try and get you x,y and z in the settlement, well that might not happen now and dealing with someone different.

I've made an app to see new sol that's taken on my case. But we're do I stand if I dont rate him as I've paid a deposit? Could I get that back?

My original sol seemed like she would really fight for me. Feel so gutted now.

I also had a free 30min meeting with her and several other companies before I chose her because she really seemed like she would fight for me.

I saw one that was so laid back she was horizontal. That was the whole idea of those free meetings. So if this new one is crap...!!

that makes no sense. either she has gone on adoption leave and is not working, or she has left the firm and has joined another firm.

Suggest you find out which, and contact her at the new firm if that is where she is.

LostMyMojo - I had a client who said I was unreasonable to get married and go on honeymoon during their transaction even though I gave them plenty of notice, so I know how you feel!

Her secratery could understand why she had not sent me a letter to inform me.

Surely it was the secretary's job to send those letters????

If she’s just at another branch can’t you deal with her there? I’m also surprised this is called adoption leave. And I’m not sure about the Secretary because it was prob her job to inform the clients. I’m not sure why she was surprised, the solicitors won’t send those letters themselves. All very weird.

She didn't inform me though. I rung up today to make an app to see her, that's when I found out!!

LostMyMojo I think that was an unreasonable comment.

This is a very stressful time for me. I just want a good lawyer to act on my behalf which I thought I had.

Bloody hell, OP, I'm sure they've got someone else who is qualified to act for you. Lawyers are allowed to have a personal life and change their working arrangements!

Bluntness that's what she said!

Very unprofessional of her

You absolutely would not get sent to another firm to cover adoption leave. She has either: (1) gone on adoption leave (2) gone to another firm (3) gone to cover someone else's adoption at a different office of the same firm or (4) gone on secondment to a client. I can't think of any more likely options.

If it's option (1), you are being unreasonable and remind me of the client who kept emailing me while I was unexpectedly giving birth to my first child prematurely. If it was options (2), (3) or (4), in an ideal world she would have given you notice but the move may have occurred on very short notice and in the case of options (2) or (3) you could keep instructing her. Option (4) seems unlikely for a divorce lawyer as I can't think where they would have gone on secondment to... but I'm in a different area of law, so it may just be lack of imagination on my part.

Lost - I've met people like that. An old boss used to brag he was dictating from the delivery room!

OP I agree the firm should've informed you, although a lot of secondments do happen very quickly and don't take much planning so she may not have had much notice at all.

So you had a brief, free meeting with her in September, when you were deciding which firm to use, then two months later you decide to instruct them and she has gone to work in a different office.

You hadn't formally instructed them until today and so weren't even a client of hers, just a potential client.

GET A FUCKING GRIP, OP.

Op, the point was it would be the secretaries job to notify the clients the work has been reallocated, the solicitor would have been dealing with many, many cases. So basically the secretary was exclaiming surprise that she hadn’t done her own job,

In addition she seems to have fed you a line of bullshit, the new solicitor might be even better, go in with an open mind.

My original sol seemed like she would really fight for me

Just wanted to pick up on this. Fighty solicitors can be great but they can also cost you thousands in unnecessary letters picking at small stuff and calling you over the smallest thing for which you'll be charged.

Take a deep breath. Read some divorce literature - wikivorce online is a great site for some sensible advice - and work out for yourself what you think would happen if you can't agree and end up in court. Remember it is pointless arguing over £5 if it's going to cost you £10 to get it.

Some solicitors will do whatever you want because it increases their costs. Just be aware of that.

To be fair to the op, I understand her concern. Divorce is stressful especially an acrimonious one. She’s had I think two meetings eithbthis solicitor, thr free one and another one, and now her solicitor is gone and an unknown has taken her place and she’s worried they may not gel. I get that.

Berlioz I had instructed her. I had a free meeting then saw her afterwards once I'd instructed her.

Seriously you really don't want a fighty divorce solicitor.

You want a good practical one who will give solid advice not one that fights!

I’d also agree a fighty solicitor isn’t always a good option, they ask for too much and then it ends up in court as then other side fights back and you end up with less than if a gentler but dogged one had come to an amicable agreement,

Personally I’d want a persuasive one rather than a fighter,

Thanks for the helpful replies.

I will go and see new sol next week with an open mind. Hopefully I will rate him.