So the thing is, if its all true, the case is kind of a slam dunk at this point, assuming that the ex had actually moved to Mexico. The mom has all the rights and it should be pretty easy to change her to the primary caretaker. And honestly, if she had kept the kid here, she would have been in her rights to transfer his school and everything. Not the most convenient option with it being so close to the end of the year, but she is in her rights. But honestly, within seconds of talking to her yesterday, I had absolutely no desire to help her.
First, she complained again about me not calling back. I had called her on Mon and again after receiving her message yesterday. Her look was sullen. "Well, I didn't get it." Um, ok. How is that MY fault? I verified her phone number and told her she should take it up with the phone company. I had gone a step further even. She had left her work # too and I called her there liked she asked, only to be asked a lot of questions about who I was and told that she wasn't allowed personal calls at work.
Then, I told her that I was leaving the firm and would be unable to help her personally. She complained that I should have told her. Yeah, I'm planning on calling every random person I've ever done any little thing for and letting them know of my departure just in case they happen to need more legal help. And really, when was I supposed to tell her, during one of those times when she didn't call me back?
Anyway, she didn't let me really finish. How am I supposed to find another attorney on such short notice, she started demanding. I told her (what I would have said immediately if she hadn't cut me off) that one of my associates could pick up where I leave off. She seemed appeased by that for a second. I told her that we would need a retainer before initiating court action. She fired up again. "I already paid you the last time and you didn't do anything." Oh, that's a right, she had a point. I wrote those letters and she paid me for that. Never mind then, lets forget about payment ever again. I also explained to her that the attorney in my office charges $250 an hour ($50 more than me). Another sullen look. "No, you promised me $200." Of course, I forgot -- legal fees stay the same FOREVER. I don't know how I held it together. But I calmly explained to her that these were the terms. If she needed to find another attorney, I would understand. "Well, I only want to pay you if I get what I want." Great. THAT made me really want to represent her.
And it was at that moment that I realized that the attorney in my office would absolutely kill me if I left him this psycho. So I said, actually, you know what, I can do what I can for you before I leave. But then you need to find another attorney.
"But how can I find another attorney?" Call one. "But how?" Well, pick up the phone and dial. "Oh, but I don't know anyone here." F-in A! She went into another little schpiel about how I should have told her sooner so she had more advanced notice. Anyway, on and on. I could hit a record button and just kept playing the same tape over and over again. And the thing is, I don't really get it -- she was basically trying to get me to file a court motion IMMEDIATELY. If I had called her last week as soon as I gave notice at work, would she really have gone out attorney shopping? Especially since the most recent turn of events happened this last wknd?
I gave her the names of a couple of attorneys (who I know are going to hate me). "How do I talk to them." Well, here are their numbers. "But how do I call them?" Um, you pick up the phone and dial? That's how I thought it worked. "Are you going to call them?" No.
She kept insisting that I start the paper work immediately and then she'd get another attorney (btw, she still hadn't agreed to pay anything). I said, fine, if she found some one right away, they should really do the paperwork cuz it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for me to. And I really didn't want to become the attorney of record in a court action and told her so. "Why not?" Well, I'm not going to be stuck with you, b---ch, just cuz you don't find some one else. Once I file anything, I'm the attorney of record until some one else substitutes for me or she decides to represent herself.
But to get rid of her, I said fine, thinking that I could just fill the forms out in her name so its as if she's representing herself.
She came back 20 minutes later, saying she'd found another attorney. I happen to know the other attorney and felt guilty. But I had given the name, so obviously not that guilty. I said great. The other attorney couldn't do anything until next week, so she still wanted me to file the paperwork. Fine.
And then I thought about it. I told my co-worker and he thought I shouldn't bother, that I shouldn't let some freak determine how I practice law. And he pointed that actually a lot would be involved in filing the motion and I probably wouldn't have time before I leave anyway to do more than a half ass job. Plus I talked to the other "new" attorney she'd supposed gotten later in the day, and it turns out that the lunatic hadn't even talked to her about the case. The attorney had told her that she'd be available for an appointment next week and they could discuss it then. Dude, if I start getting involved, I (or my firm) might be stuck with her. So I called her this morning and told her since she'd found an attorney, she should let the other attorney do the paper work and that I had too short of a time to do the job she deserved.
The psycho actually started yelling at me. Told me that if she couldn't find another attorney, its my fault and she's going to do something "bad." Absolutely, nothing to do with HER sparkling personality of course. And I should have told her sooner blah blah blah. She THEN admits that she never even made an appointment (which I had already realized of course - I actually have a strong suspicion that she was hoping she could just rope me or the firm in somehow to save her the trouble of finding some one else. I can just see her - after the motion is filed - coming in and trying to tell my co-workers that I had promised her $200/hr no matter what or something like that. ). I told her that I thought she had, that's what she had said yesterday. She said no, as if it was my fault she hadn't. And demanded that I call the other attorney and make an appointment for her. No. She said that she had worked with other attorneys and they weren't like me. Her last one had done whatever she had asked him to. I told her then that she should ask him to represent her. She repeated again pretty hysterically that she would come after me if she couldn't find some one else. I said I'm sorry she felt that way. She demanded her documents that she left behind yesterday. I almost said, good riddance, but refrained.
And that was that. I'm hoping no one around here has to deal with her ever again. But who knows -- the fact is, I know she won't find another attorney. This other attorney that she went to yesterday charges the same hourly rate as my colleagues and probably has the same retainer (or more, probably, cuz I quoted a lower rate while I was still feeling a bit bad about the whole thing). And the hour and a half or so of petulant whining and demanding that I put up with is something no one will tolerate. So good luck.
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