Could any solicitors on here tell me how long they would take to do this please?

[Cabrinha]

Not having got divorced before, or much dealt with lawyers, I'm not sure if IABU! Obviously I don't think so.
Solicitor has been (I think) slow all along, and shockingly bad with mistakes. Yes, I wish I'd changed. You know how it is - you think well, it's nearly done now, I won't change... but then it drags on and you wish you had!
One mistake for example, was to write two all bur identical paragraphs about pension sharing % in a plain English letter to ex before the CO, one of which had the wrong %.
I digress...

So, I got an invoice with said details available on request. I requested the breakdown and she emailed on a Fri to say she'd do it early following week. That was 3 weeks ago. Obviously, it's "wrong" because she gave the timescale. But - that's rubbish, yes?

The two things that I'd like an idea on timescale for:
(1) she sent me a copy (at my request) of the financial summary that goes with the application for consent order. I mailed her to ask her to comment on something I think she did wrong (moving a child's pension into my column as an asset, from child column), to point out that my dob and Nisi date were wrong and to tell her my ex had left 2/3 of his pension assets off so it would have to go back to him. Oh - and put in annual not monthly net income (should I have has to point that out?)
Anyway - 4 working days later and she hasn't even acknowledged the mail. (I got her out of office message for one day only, so it has gone through)

(2) on the form she has added 07.10 as date of absolute. News to me. How quickly would you tell someone they were now divorced? That's 3 weeks...

Sorry for length! I'm trying to decide whether I'm reasonable to complain?

She has also done things like ask me "do you think this box is for your address or pension company address?". I'm paying her £175ph and being asked the questions on how to fill the fecking forms in!!

Think the worst one so far was her suggesting we add a regular payment XH has to make me down as spousal maintenance. I said, but it's not and if we say that, I'll lose it if I cohabit. And she said "oh yeah, good point".

Aaaaaargh - sorry, think I also needed to vent, that came out longer than intended!!!

I'm not a solicitor but deal with lawyers a lot.

1. I would say 4 days for an email reply is not unreasonable. Solicitors deal with lots of files at once and to answer something like that will require setting aside time to look at the file and read in to it to check. Anything urgent takes priority for lawyers. I would leave it a working week and then chase.

You shouldn't be charged for her time in explaining an apparent error.

1. 100% agree with this. If you have received a decree absolute, that is an important and significant doc and you should have been notified immediately. That I would complain about.

Hummm, I'm a solicitor, though not a family lawyer. I work in conveyancing, buying and selling houses, so a need to be quick quick quick. Years ago, I was in (non family) litigation too.

I'm afraid I am a swot and reply to emails the very same day. I think four days and counting is bloody poor tbh.

As for your second point, I'm a bit shocked. You mean she didn't tell you the moment it came through! I find that a bit odd, but am perfectly willing to be set straight by any family lawyers.

She does sound a bit slack. Unless of course she's been in court every day or something, but if that's the case she should have advised you about that.

Google her and see how long she's been qualified as she sounds inexperienced. That may be the fault of her bosses, putting her in over her depth maybe.

Thanks for the replies!
She was admitted 14 years ago, with current firm for 10. She's in a small satellite office of the oldest firm in my town. I know oldest doesn't mean best, but I thought it wouldn't me worst. I had no personal recommendations.

I wouldn't expect a full detailed reply within a week, but I think if you're going over a full working week, you should acknowledge the email and give a timescale.

As for whether I'm now actually divorced! Well... As she got my dob and Nisi date wrong on the same page, I just don't trust her to be right! I suppose I could call the court myself?

I'm going to complain. I'm not someone who frequently does so

Other things she's done, that just make me question her overall professionalism and competence, rather than being big:

• had to request additional fee because when the court charges changed last year, she told me and then sent in the old fee (surely if you're in family law, you have a post it note on your desk saying "x date - fee change!" that sort of thing!)

• this year when she sent off the absolute, she asked me for an additional £45 - and said "oh yeah" when I told her that the fees have changed now and it's all paid up front (seriously - I promise she's on their website as doing matrimonial!)

• we needed my ex to return form by x date, a week away. I told her verbally and in a follow mail, put that in as the first sentence, in bold, return in 48 hours. He took 2 weeks, I've now seen the letter "ASAP" as the last sentence on second page. I know my ex. He doesn't read two page letters. He doesn't process detail. He doesn't respond to woolly ASAP, he needs a deadline (can you see why I am divorcing him? )

It sounds like a petty thing to complain about. Maybe I sound like a nightmare controlling client. But - I told her this, explained the (good) reason. JFDI.

Aaaaaaarrrggghhh - again, I'm letting it all out!

It has really pissed my off that I'm paying someone who is just adding stress to the process.