The Spookster

[spook]

Hi girls.Can't post on that one so it'll have to be this one!!! Phew-close one.

Am too scared W&R. Feel I need as many people as poss on my side right now and she knows the whole sorry tale.

spook, you need all the legal help you can get. if the bill seems fair ie the work has been done, she told you her rate - then pay it. there will be more, and you don't want to piss around querying costs at this early stage. why don't you send it to your dh saying "your divorce, you pay it" and see if he does?

cross posted, spook. agree with you completely

Message deleted

I don't really have achoice PPH. I haven't got a penny. I understand totally what you're saying W&R but I need her don't I. I am going to put it in with his next lot of mail (he still hasn't changed his address on anything!!)
His piss will boil. Tee bloody hee.

well my costs were never questioned once in a decade or more of practice, and my hourly rate was 3x that. I'd have been pretty cross if they were! but I admit my practice wasn't litigation based.

spook, why haven't you got a penny? isn't he paying you interim maintenance while the final settlement gets arranged? if not why not? if not, by all means send him the bill but also tell your solicitor that it is in her interests to GET you some interim maintenance if she wants her bills paid anytime soon.

PPh-you're not my solicitor are you!!! PMSL!

no, I don't sully my hands with private clients any more. and never did matrimonial work. and have never been to newcastle. and (that's enough reasons - ed)

Spook, as you don't work, you presumably have no independent income, which would automatically entitle you to legal aid. When you first instructed your solicitor, did you not discuss how you would fund her services? She must have known your financial situation.

As to the present bill, is she prepared to wait until your financial settlement has been sorted as you will be able to pay her out of that? I'm surprised that you have had this bill out of the blue. Most solicitors demand payment on account from private clients to avoid this sort of thing.

You are now faced with 2 options: (a) stick with this solicitor on the basis that you are likely to end up with a bill of several thousand pounds by the time your divorce is finalised or (b) change solicitor and find one that does legal aid.

I think she took me on coz from the outside it appears we are very well off. Big house,flash cars etc. But in reality there IS NO MONEY!! I can't bear the thought of having to start all over again and find a new solicitor. i apid 500 pounds upfront and this bill is on top of that. I have no choice but to pass it on to husband and tell her I have done this.She knows I have no independant income. If she gets shirty then she is definately not the right one for me!

You may find that she's not necessarily expecting you to pay it straight away. She might just have drawn up a bill so that she can show her partners that she is billing the matter.

Best thing is probably to speak to her about it tomorrow morning. Tell her you are passing the bill to d-t-p to pay and ask how she intends to deal with billing from now on as you have no income whatsoever.

Message deleted

I did get a message ffrom her yesterday that she was leaving the firm but she was perfectly happy to take my file with her. Could this have something to do with it??

Possibly she is billing all her matters prior to leaving the firm. However, the bill is the firm's and they may expect immediate payment. It won't matter what agreement you come to with your solicitor, the bill will be a debt you need to clear. Solicitors don't pursue their own debtors with huge vigour, but they do pursue them. If you receive any correspondence from the firm after your solicitor leaves, write to them explaining your financial situation and stating that you were expecting to pay your bill out of your settlement. That should stall any further action.

Thanks Freckle. As always you're all a huge help (((((hugs))))))

The other thing that occurred to me is do you know where she is going? It may not be very local to you. Most solicitors have what is known as a restrictive covenant in their employment contracts which means that they cannot work within a certain radius of their current firm for a number of years. This is to prevent them from leaving and taking local clients with them. So your solicitor may well have to take a job some distance from her current firm.

This may not affect you too much, but it is something you might like to check up on.

Also, if you don't pay the bill she has sent you, she will not be in a position to take your file with her. You are a client of the firm, not of her personally. The firm is entitled to hang on to your file until your bill is paid. She may get round this by photocopying any relevant documentation, but the original file may have to stay with the firm until the bill has been settled.

Oh fuckity fuck fuck. Its not looking godd is it? Will find out tomorrow when she eventuaslly returns my call where she's going.
Something has really cheered me up though. Came up with a new name for The Sirens...
SUPERTRAMPS. I love it!!!

Sorry, Spook. Didn't mean to depress you, but these are things you may need to consider. Hope your solicitor can put your mind at rest.

Are the other Sirens as slutty as her then?

Oh yes. Bunch of Geordie slappers
Don't worry hunny-you couldn't depress me after that Wife Swap. Too cheery!

What's the news from your solicitor today, Spook?

Still not returned my call Freckle. Called her Monday and this morning. Piss poor actually

Can you speak to her secretary to find out the score?

good idea will do that right now

Just told her secretary how pissed off I am. I have had to do this with her once before. Hardly top of her list of priorities as I?