Question:
I hired a law firm in New Jersey for a divorce. The law firm had just hired a divorce attorney. Two months into the contact the law firm changed attorneys on me without my permission and knowledge.
They switched my representation from the divorce attorney to a general practice attorney. Is that allowed?
Answer:
It is allowed, but you are also allowed to hire a different firm to represent you. You can direct the New Jersey firm to withdraw from your case. However, your case being transferred from one attorney to another is not unusual.
If you don’t have any complaints about the quality of representation you are receiving, then you should consider discussing with the firm your complaint about how they handled the transfer of your case. You should always discuss your concerns with your attorney and give him a chance to resolve those concerns.
I’m sure you’ve invested a lot of money and time in your case with this firm, and my advice is to try and repair the relationship before starting over with a new attorney. Still, if you are dissatisfied to the point that you don’t want to work with your current attorney, then move on and find an attorney or firm that can meet your needs and expectations.
Claudia J. Weaver is an Associate Attorney with Cordell & Cordell, P.C., in Overland Park, Kansas. Ms. Weaver practices exclusively in the area of domestic relations.
