Your lawyer is not responding to your letters, not providing the explanations you request, seems to be neglecting your case, or has not taken important elements into account? Several remedies exist, and the first is the simplest.
The first thing to do: talk about it
Contact your lawyer to ask your questions and share your concerns, or even your grievances. This is an essential step.
Do not hesitate to discuss it openly: he or she will respond to your request and do everything possible to find a satisfactory solution.
Write to the Bar President
The Bar President of each bar association is responsible for examining complaints concerning the lawyers in their bar. He or she can conduct an investigation or appoint an investigator, who will hear from both you and the lawyer under investigation.
At the end of this investigation, he or she may decide to summon the lawyer before the disciplinary council. In this case, your complaint is forwarded to the disciplinary council, which will summon the lawyer. You will be informed of the hearing date and can explain your position there.
If your complaint is dismissed
Two deadlines to remember.
If your complaint is dismissed, you can challenge this decision within a period of three months by sending a registered letter to the president of the disciplinary council.
If no action is taken on your complaint within a period of six months, you can send it directly to the president of the disciplinary council by registered mail.
Possible sanctions
The Bar President may first take interim measures if he or she believes that a lawyer's behavior risks harming third parties or the honor of the Bar: prohibition from attending court premises or handling third-party funds, for example.
The disciplinary council may then impose, depending on the severity of the facts, a warning, a reprimand, a suspension (the lawyer loses certain professional rights and cannot plead for a specified period), or disbarment (the lawyer can no longer practice).
A disagreement over fees?
If the dispute concerns the amount of fees and charges, other avenues exist within the Bar Associations: fee assessment, preliminary conciliation, mediation, arbitration, or court opinion. These are detailed on the page How much does it cost?
A dispute over fees?
Broken dialogue, no response, or disagreement over fees: discover the remedies and steps to take to refer the matter to the Bar President.
