Is it Normal for a Lawyer to Have Lunch with the Seller in a Lawsuit Case?
#lawsuit #legalfees #homebuyer #realestate #disclosures
Have you recently purchased a house with undisclosed issues, only to find out the seller has a history of lawsuits? Are you spending a significant amount on repairs while waiting for justice from your lawyer?
Encountering your lawyer having a friendly lunch with the seller can be concerning. Could this affect the fairness of your case? Should you trust your lawyer’s actions and intentions moving forward?
Considerations:
– Financial burden of legal fees and home repairs
– Real estate agent’s role in home inspections
– Importance of clear communication and transparency with your legal representative
Get insights and suggestions on navigating this situation to ensure your rights are protected and justice is served.
Your lawyer cannot talk to a represented party in an ongoing lawsuit without the other party’s attorney also being present. Assuming the Seller has their own lawyer who was not at the lunch, then your lawyer is likely violating the rules of professional conduct (could depend on the state) unless the meeting was in no way about your lawsuit. You could report the attorney to bar association since as you noted this is impacting your trust in your attorney to fairly represent you. But first, you should probably just plainly ask your attorney about the lunch in a non-accusatory manner. If it didn’t relate to the lawsuit and you trust the answer, then maybe let it go. If they lie / deflect, then consider whether you want new representation.
Big red flag. Theres no acceptable scenario here that makes this ok for you.
You need to consult a legal malpractice attorney in your jurisdiction and have them advise you.
IAAL but not yours
This is weird, so no inspections on a home you were purchasing? Didn’t go see it once? All of these things couldn’t be hidden even if purchased sight unseen FaceTime or zoom or something else exists….. so I’m curious as to the validity of this post.
Before you do anything, schedule an appointment with the lawyer and ask what happened.
Some of the best attorneys I know are friendly with everyone in town and I wouldn’t think twice about seeing them at lunch with an opposing party. To them and most of the people they sue it’s just business, nobody’s taking it personally.Â
And they certainly wouldn’t be caught dead throwing a case for anybody, as it would ruin their reputation and make sure they never got another high dollar client again. Your case might not be worth all that much in the grand scheme of things, but their reputation is worth more than a couple hundred grand. If they didn’t want to be involved because they thought someone’s feelings would get hurt, they’d just not take the case.
I absolutely would have confronted him, and on video.
You need to do the following:
1) Fire him immediately.
2) hire another lawyer to take over this suit
3) find a legal malpractice lawyer; you can’t send a demand to your soon to be ex lawyer yet since you don’t know the extent of your damages, but they can get started figuring it out
First step is ask your lawyer about the lunch in a non accusatory tone. If you are satisfied with his answer, great. If you still aren’t comfortable contact a different local attorney, and ask for advice. It can probably be covered for a few hundred dollars in a single hour meeting.
I do NOT recommend reporting your own lawyer to the bar without consulting another attorney. While your lawyer is ethically required to represent you to the best of his ability, he is human. And having a client with a complaint against you to the bar will change the relationship.