A week of trials

[muck_a_luck]

Client is coming from Spain for depositions next week and we have not yet been able to serve the wife.

So I called the Court to find out why I had never received the service copy of the Bill of Complaint.

Because, according to the intake clerk who talked to me, it wasn't supposed to be returned by mail and it has been sitting out at the desk for pickup since November 19.

*long suffering sigh* *checks file* *much cursing*

The Praecipe said, "When the service copy is ready, please return it to my office by mail." I also put in a SASE.

What the Hell else are we supposed to do to insure that the document is returned to us by mail? Hello?

This would not be such a big deal, except that this *would* have to happen to the client who is coming from FREAKIN' SPAIN!!!!

*bangs head on desk*

Comments

[andien.livejournal.com]

This happens - it always happens - we are mad to do this job btw!

Professional insanity

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

Eh. Beats workin in a coal mine.

But seriously, I love the job I do. My Cellmate shakes her finger at me when I joke that if it weren't for all the clients I could actually get some work done. But I like helping people who are not insane idiots, I like the variety, and I like being the paralegal who knows all.

The big question in my family of course, is always, when are you going to law school? I'm pretty sure everybody's weirded out that I am essentially a high-level secretary. My parents always had me pegged for a lawyer. Husband is a lawyer. I work for lawyers. What's the deal?

I just don't want the extra stress. So maybe *you* are the mad one. On the other hand, as stated previously, you make about three times as much as I do, or so, and probably $40K more than I could ever *hope* to make, even as the top paralegal at a big firm... *shrugs*

Um. Was I going somewhere with that?

Re: Professional insanity

[andien.livejournal.com]

I agree that I'm mad. No one is ever paid a lot for doing a non stressful job though, it's one of the rules.

And this week has sucked (come home early as pneumonia is making presence felt again) to recap:

1. Nicest client has cancer
2. One of our star witnesses for a trial in April hung herself.
3. Client who refused to settle and lost at trial is now saying he will pay me "when he works out what I've done for him" - to which my answer is fuck off you total bastard, you lied your head off from day one.
4. Both senior counsel(barrister) and I missed a point in negotiating a settlement - which means that we are negligent to the tune of about £70,000
and we just missed it completley. Not something that inspires confidence. This is only the second negligence action against me in the 11 years I've been qualified - but still not nice. And they are always the ones that you don't see coming at all.

Re: Professional insanity

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

1. So upsetting. But not job related. Just so sad.
2. Nightmare.
3. That's why it's so important to get the retainer up front. Never fails that once the client doesn't need you anymore, if they owe you money, they really don't have much incentive to pay. And all the solo practioner malpractice prevention seminars stress *get your money in advance,* becuase there is nothing like a fee dispute to create a malpractice claim...
4. Like you said, only the second one in 11 years. It happens to everyone, because you just can't be perfect all the time. And as terrible as it is to say it, that's what liability insurance is *for.* Luckily, lawyers who screw up usually don't kill people, unlike doctors. I suppose you could lose a death penalty case...

Re: Professional insanity

[andien.livejournal.com]

Thank God we don't have the death penalty!

Have taken nice client a book she wanted.

I know I should have got nutter client's trial money up front - but he had paid all his interim bills and so there was really no basis on which I could do it.

And as to the negligence - I just feel stupid, at least there were two of us jointly missing the point.

Also have a fever again - not helping!

You could qualify when ever you were ready if you wanted to - a friend of mine did her law degree with her daughter, qualified at 50 and is now a partner in a major firm..so take whatever decision suits you, when it suits you.

I will finish my application to be a district judge - then they can do what I say and piss off!Ha !

Re: Professional insanity

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

*points up to entry regarding paralegal with mono*

Take your feverish self and go home.

Seriously, after the master's degree, I was schooled out. Sick and tired of the emotional stress of papers and exams and performance for the pleasure of some professor.

And now, almost 10 years later, I still am not over it. Let's see, to graduate at 50, I would have to start at 46. Another 13 years. Will 23 years be enough to put the anti-academia feelings behind me. Hmmmmm.

Nah. My next life will not be as a lawyer. It will be as computer geek extraordinare. You know, the person you call when your laptop gives you the blue screen of death and you haven't backed up your data in 3 weeks? Me. :)

Do you need a justification to ask for retainer there? We have to keep it in a separate account and scrupulously not put it into our operating account until we've earned it (accounting nightmare sometimes for me), but we can ask for as much cash in advance as we want. We let very few clients go over to an AR basis. Though a client who has been paying well can sometimes get away with it. So we might have been in the same bind you are with that guy...

Re: Professional insanity

[andien.livejournal.com]

It's always almost impossible to get a total fee retainer - first £1000 not so bad but the total £6000 to £10,000 that it takes to get a case of that size to trial , forget. So I bill every month and hope for the best! except this time it's bitten me on the arse! Am at home btw.

Nah - you do whatever you want.

Former trainee has gone off to make legal training videos - making huge amounts of money and having a fab time and NO CLIENTS! -perfect!