A Lawyer Who Works On A Contigency Basis Or At Least Works

[la_guachita]

Is it impossible to find a lawyer who works on a contigency basis? I have an open/shut case, everything documented but have incurred so much financial and personal damage because of this situation that paying up front for the lawyers on top of the losses is proving difficult.

A friend of mine says he always has his lawyer work on a contigency basis, but I'm pretty sure it is because he is well connected and a lot of his old school friends are now lawyers. He also has one case that has been in the courts for twenty years, so that gives you an idea of how smooth that goes.

Also what is the standard charge to have a lawyer send a carta de documento on my behalf? (I know I can do it myself but in this case I have to demonstrate that I have legal representation because the other side is lawyered up and throwing bribes all over the place.)

Also why is it that everytime I've hired a lawyer here, even one who comes recommended, do I have to beg them to work? Any tricks? I've learned to say things like, 'I need it by such and such a date' but then I don't hear from them by that date, and then I call and set another deadline, ad infinitum. They'll tell me they need details or documents they don't actually need or that I've already provided, to buy themselves time. For me it's exhausting to have to keep searching through prior emails and resend things. It's like I'm paying someone to make my life more aggravating.

I would like to say that the experience is a one-off but I've had similar prior experiences, and not just with lawyers. Any advice on how to deal with lazy liars lawyers would be appreciated!

 

[IABhutto]

OMG I am going through same situation, I just texted my lawyer after waiting 1 week... now if I'll ask someone else, I have to go through from the start...

 

[RichardP]

It always pays to have a lawyer in the family here .

 

[Jaredberryman]

Is it impossible to find a lawyer who works on a contigency basis? I have an open/shut case, everything documented but have incurred so much financial and personal damage because of this situation that paying up front for the lawyers on top of the losses is proving difficult.

A friend of mine says he always has his lawyer work on a contigency basis, but I'm pretty sure it is because he is well connected and a lot of his old school friends are now lawyers. He also has one case that has been in the courts for twenty years, so that gives you an idea of how smooth that goes.

Also what is the standard charge to have a lawyer send a carta de documento on my behalf? (I know I can do it myself but in this case I have to demonstrate that I have legal representation because the other side is lawyered up and throwing bribes all over the place.)

Also why is it that everytime I've hired a lawyer here, even one who comes recommended, do I have to beg them to work? Any tricks? I've learned to say things like, 'I need it by such and such a date' but then I don't hear from them by that date, and then I call and set another deadline, ad infinitum. They'll tell me they need details or documents they don't actually need or that I've already provided, to buy themselves time. For me it's exhausting to have to keep searching through prior emails and resend things. It's like I'm paying someone to make my life more aggravating.

I would like to say that the experience is a one-off but I've had similar prior experiences, and not just with lawyers. Any advice on how to deal with lazy liars lawyers would be appreciated!

I think there are plenty of lawyers that work on contingency basis. As far as my knowledge was, most of them do that. It's hard to find a lawyer that will actually do what they are supposed to do--I think they take too many cases and thus get backlogged with their work. If you need a lawyer, feel free to message me, and I can give you her number. She is a good friend of our family and a diligent lawyer, not likely to be late on deadlines. I can promise you and would bet my life on it that she also is honest. Send me a message if you are interested.

 

[Crema Americana]

It always pays to have a lawyer in the family here .

It's been my experience that the only difference is you can prod them at the Sunday asado rather than play phone tag.

 

[citygirl]

If you're suing someone, the lawyer is happy to work on contingency and get a nice chunk of the settlement. If you're being sued - you're paying (a lot) by the hour.
Don't get me started on the lawyers here. Let's just say I have nothing positive to say about the ones I have worked with here in a corp setting.

 

[nativexpat]

We are locals and lawyers suck for us too... And it is worse when they are family, because you cannot demand anything ... our semi-relative lawyer refuses to give us back our case "because he feels like it is a question of honor" to give it back , but won't do much for the case either... we are stuck. If there is something I hate about our culture is that being direct and assertive comes across as being mean.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Cartas documentos cost about 55 pesos at the mail office and its is standard to charge them double.
There are too many lawyers, 50.000 with bar id in this city only.
The standard is to work on contigency basis when there is money in between and to pay in advance when there is no money (criminal law, immigration, citizenship).
I cannot give my opinion about other colleges because the law forbidds me.
Regards

 

[la_guachita]

Thank you for the responses! It is comforting to know I'm not alone as far as being driven around the bend with lawyers.

Tex, I may take you up on that although since this is an involved case with a lot of details and paperwork, to start all over again might send me straight to El Borda.

I'm the one suing (I detest having to do this, but I have no choice). If I get compensated for the actual costs of the physical and personal damage I'm incurring I should be getting a pretty penny.

I thought the initial fee would be okay because I understand that cases can drag out and even lawyers have to eat meanwhile. So Bajo, if they are working on a contigency basis they would still charge around $110 for the carta de documento? Or is that if they are NOT working on contigency?

I talked to one of the lawyers yesterday and from their perspective things are more difficult than usual because important papers are 'disappearing' from the city records thanks to coima being paid by someone in the opposing party, hence the delay. The thing that I really don't get is why, knowing that my life has been severely affected by this situation, they would invent new tasks for me to do to buy time. I would much prefer someone who just says 'I have too many cases to take this on' or 'I can't get this to you for two weeks' instead of creating more busywork for me.

Now that I hear that the standard is to work on contigency I am wondering if I'm being taken for another hellride.

I feel like I'm being punk'd every day with this madness! :blink:

Thanks again!

 

[Splitty]

I hear you about the lawyers with terrible work ethic!
I just finished paying one that was referred to me usd$3,000.
All he done was made 10 phone calls 5 emails and send an associate to a mediation I had.
After 2 months of hearing ( esperamos para un repuesta), I chewed his ass off, calling him a useless vago.
Needless to say I will not be using his lazy ass anymore.
I got an acuerdo with my kids mom, but it is only for 6 months, so it is 140 pesos a day I paid for a scrap of toilet paper.