QUESTION
Can a lawyer charge a fee to clients for informing clients by email that she will be unavailable while on vacation?
Asked on Jul 23rd, 2013 on Legal Malpractice - Florida
More details to this question:
My last legal bill (in a divorce I did not want) has a fee of $52.50 to "prepare a Notice of Unavailability" for the week my lawyer would be on vacation. I was already divorced 1 month when she sent it, and 3 months by the week she would be away, and had no need of her services that week. Is it legal to charge clients just to say you will be closed for a week? This lawyer has done many things I felt were questionable and unethical, but this takes the cake. Can I ask to have that charge deleted from my bill?
1 ANSWER
Consumer Debt Collector Harassment & Abuse Attorney serving Tampa, FL
Partner at
Tischhauser Law Group
2 Awards
You can ask, and you should not be charged for services if the lawyer is not representing you at the time the document is filed. That type of notice isnt for your benefit but for the other lawyers and the courts not to schedule things during that time frame.
Obviously you have issues with your lawyer. Anytime you feel you lawyer is unethical or "questionable" you need to fire that lawyer and hire one that you trust.
Answered on Aug 20th, 2013 at 9:14 AM
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