Am I being scammed?
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I need advice. I've instructed a solicitor based off a recommendation on this forum.
The court hearing is the end of next week so time is running out and meetings keep being cancelled, they keep saying they can't get his notes from the duty solicitor without him signing something but no paperwork has been received, and they keep asking for payment to be able to do anything but I've been sent no invoices or contracts at all.
Is this normal? I'm obviously not the client, my person is and he's on remand so they are dealing with me but I can't help feeling like I'm being taken advantage of at such a sensitive time and time is running out.
The court hearing is the end of next week so time is running out and meetings keep being cancelled, they keep saying they can't get his notes from the duty solicitor without him signing something but no paperwork has been received, and they keep asking for payment to be able to do anything but I've been sent no invoices or contracts at all.
Is this normal? I'm obviously not the client, my person is and he's on remand so they are dealing with me but I can't help feeling like I'm being taken advantage of at such a sensitive time and time is running out.
Hi West, we decided to go with a local solicitor from the same firm as the duty solicitor. We also had to pay up front before they would engage and our solicitor also didn't get the paper work until the 11th hour. My son didn't see the paperwork until the day he was in court for both plea hearing and sentencing.
Thank you, that's really good to know.
Did you feel like it made a difference/ do you think they could have done a better job if they'd had more time and/ or did it all work out?
The duty solicitor was shockingly bad- so judgemental and made lots of comments about how he would probably never see his children again/ that he would be going away for a long time etc. so I don't feel like we can go with them.
Did you feel like it made a difference/ do you think they could have done a better job if they'd had more time and/ or did it all work out?
The duty solicitor was shockingly bad- so judgemental and made lots of comments about how he would probably never see his children again/ that he would be going away for a long time etc. so I don't feel like we can go with them.
It's pretty normal for a solicitor to not do any work until you have signed a contract and paid.
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Solicitor here (not in criminal law, though the same rules apply universally- my other half is the reason I'm on here; joy of joys).
If you had a solicitor acting for your person (even if unintentionally, ie the duty solicitor did 'act for' them), they retain 'conduct', which includes control of the 'papers' (literal or electronic) until you have signed a form of authority to transfer to your preferred solicitor. You will need to enter into a new funding agreement and sign client care letters etc to instruct the new solicitor. Absolutely standard and they would be in breach of rules to do much without that agreement.
If you had a solicitor acting for your person (even if unintentionally, ie the duty solicitor did 'act for' them), they retain 'conduct', which includes control of the 'papers' (literal or electronic) until you have signed a form of authority to transfer to your preferred solicitor. You will need to enter into a new funding agreement and sign client care letters etc to instruct the new solicitor. Absolutely standard and they would be in breach of rules to do much without that agreement.
Hi West, I'm really not sure if having more time would have made any difference. My son got a 2 year suspended sentence, community hours, a fine and 10 years SOR and SHPO. I felt the judge was very fair, my son hsd done wrong and needed to be punished. The judge had read up on the case, he was aware of the evidence, aware of my sons guilty plea right from his arrest and made reference to the character references and letter from LFF. The solicitor didn't really do anything to help but then again I'm not sure what he could have done when my son fully admitted what he'd done.