Lawyers are bound by a code of ethics that governs their professional conduct. While the majority of lawyers adhere to these standards, most states have appointed a Disciplinary Counsel to investigate and act on violations when they occur.
Typically, Disciplinary Counsel only investigate grievances that are brought to their attention via a complaint. Complaints may concern ethical violations that clients feel the lawyer has committed. Other practicing lawyers can also file complaints. Common consumer complaints include:
* Failure of the lawyer to communicate with the client
* Lawyer neglects to return the client’s documents
* Failure of the lawyer to safeguard client property
* Conflict of interest
* Misrepresentation
* Funds missing/fee disputes
* Non-professional conduct in handling of cases
Filing a Complaint
If a problem occurs with a lawyer, the client must file a complaint to the counsel in the state in which the lawyer is licensed. Generally, the process for filing a complaint involves either filling out a form provided by the Bar Association in the particular state, or writing a detailed letter. The detailed letter should contain the lawyer’s name, address, phone number, the circumstances under which the lawyer was hired and a description of the problem. Some states request additional documentation to be filed with the complaint.
In some states, a complaint may be filed by calling a hotline.
Complaint Review and Resolution
In most cases, a board of lawyers and non-lawyers reviews the complaint. If there might be some ethical violation, the lawyer in question is usually provided with a copy of the complaint and given 10-25 days (depending on the state), to respond to the complaint. In some states, clients are given a chance to comment on their lawyer’s response and to request that an investigation be opened. The case will either be dismissed if no evidence of a violation is found, or it will remain open. If the violation is found to be minor, a phone call or letter to the lawyer can readily resolve the issue. A hearing will be set up if the violation(s) are of a serious nature, based on the review of the board.
Confidentiality
Most information is kept confidential until it’s released to the lawyer in question. Some states don’t allow anonymous cases because documentation is vital to the investigation. Disciplinary counsel needs the signature of the person filing the complaint on the complaint form or letter in case there is a need to testify in court. Some states allow anonymous complaints if the issues affect the general public, or if the board itself is able to bring the issue against the lawyer without further evidence from a client. If the state does allow anonymous complaints, a request for anonymity must be included in a detailed letter, on the form in which the complaint is filed or during the phone call.
Tags: Filing a Complaint
13 users commented in " Reporting a Lawyer for Ethics Violations "
Follow-up RSS Comments Feed or Leave a TrackbackI hired a lawyer in March of 2007 because I had been in a car accident and the other driver had no insurance, I had to sue my own car insurance for them to pay the doctor bills. I had a lot of doctor bills, I lost my house, car, job, and got behind on my bills. I found out about a month ago that This lawyer lied to me about the settlement of the bills I have open bills at the hospitals/clinics i recieved treatment at, and some bills have efficted my credit report! This man took around $14,000 for services he claimed he took care of! I work for the hospital in lake county and my boss stated that this man never had a case this sevire before! He sent them a check for $ 500.00 and the bills were thousands of dollars! Brian M. Weiss works for Mintz Law Firm, LLC
address is : 605 Parfet St., Suite 102
Lakewood, Colorado 80215
Phone: (303) 462-2999
Fax: FAX (303) 233-8999
I hired a lawyer for an eviction the he charged me $1800 for the prosess, the person being evicted then turned around and accused me of discrimination that was included in the court disput he never told me of any extra charges ,now that the court process is over the judge over turned the case of discriminatiton the lawyer send me a bill for 2thousand dollars, I went to talk to him and ask him why this other bill he was very unprofesional and nasty about it, he discriminated against me this not the first time he’s been nasty towards me but i want to know if I paid him the amount he said was the cost of my case do I have to pay him this other amount?
the lawyer’s name is Joseph A Altman; 1009 E 163rd Street,Bronx NY 10459
December 3, 2008
I have a problem with my Attorney regarding a
Workmen’s Comp. Case. It’s been going on 6yrs.
and he has not settled my case. During this time, I have not received any correspondence or
calls from him regarding the disposition of my
case. I have called on numerous occasions and
all I get, from his Attorneys that work for him
is, he told me to tell you that he has two
Attorneys working on my case. Now he has told
me recently that he can’t find my appeals file!
I was diagnoised with (black airway decease)
by my Pulmonary Doctor and I have asthma!
I had worked for a municipality (City Hall)
for 29yrs. I kept getting reoccuring bronchitis
and the Doctor had stated, to me, the he sug-
that I work at another place of employment!
The is full of abestos as we speak and was built in (1899). At present, they have removed
most of the departments and employees to another location due to a water pipe bursting
on the fourth floor and damages are great. I
had contacted OSHA regarding this matter, due
to the employees that were still working there.
Currently, that are replacing piping and in
some cases removing abestos. There are some employees who still call me and let me know
what is going on. There have been employees who
have been sick and some have died due to cancer! The City calls me a trouble-maker just
because I stand up for myself!! I don’t know if
you can give me some advice regarding my pro-
lem. I seriously thinking about writing a book
regarding the injustice of not having proper
legal representation!
I would like to think that the “balance of
justice is not in vain” for the little guy!!!
Does anyone have any comments on Attorney Larry Kajfas in Chicago?
My husband passed away and asked me before he died that I take care of his sister. The lawyers office said she was not a beneficiary on anything so they sent my sister in law a check for $22000.00 from one of the annuity accounts. Turns out she is a beneficiary for another $22000.00 annuity. She is a very sick girl, unemployed as is her husband and of course she just lost her brother. In no way could I possibley ask her for the money back-I know she has been spending it anyway. The lawyer had strict instructions to not send her anything if she was a beneficiary. His response is to ask for it back.Is this a case of Failure of the lawyer to safeguard client ?property
I have representation but was having doubts about his abilities and after he said in anger ” perhaps you should fine other represetation I started making inquiries. I got a resonse from another lawyer who suggested I rget rid of my current representaion and emailed me a letter to submit to him requesting he stop what he was doing as I was seeking new council.. The lawyer who sent me that email than contacted the defence council and spoke with them directly, and than emailed me saying that after talking with the defence council and not likeing what they heard decided they would not represent me.. This lawyer had also worked for the firm representing the defendants a while back but I knew this…
Now my current lawyer wants to withraw from my case…
Is this all ethical?
I live in a residential air park that has a homeowner’s association. After some of the wealthy owners got themselves elected to the Board of Directors, they hit everyone for a special assessment to repave the roads, taxiways, and runway. They promised us it would only cost $40 a month increase in dues. Then they hired an unscroupulous lawyer (Robert Skipworth, El Paso, TX)who sent us letters demanding $4,000 be paid in two weeks or they would forclose on our homes. I asked my attorney to look into the legality of it, and he found the homeowner’s association was not even valid! I demanded my money back from the unlawful assessment, and in retaliation, four Board members voted to sue me. They violated an earlier contract we had that allowed me to take longer to complete my residence construction. We beat the suit as the judge ruled the association was not valid. So Skippy arranges secret meetings with homeowners in violation of non-profit corporation laws and lies to homeowners in order to get them to sign their rights over to him. Some of the dummies assigned their right to sue, but Skippy claims that even those that didn’t sign, have had their rights assigned by those that did. I didn’t know somebody else could assign my rights to a third party without my knowledge or consent. Skippy then names those homeowners as Plaintiffs in a re-filed suit, without their knowledge. Even the ones who crossed out the language on the form that allowed naming homeowners on a suit, had their names used on the suit, regardless. Be careful with Skipworth. He has no ethics.
I’m just wondering is all the lawyers in New York Namely (Manhattan) crooked. Last year my son got in some trouble in Manhattan when he was working for a new rap artist. To make a long story short I hired Justin Levine and I feel he misrepresented him. Mr. Levine told my son to take the plea, because he wanted him to spend two years in prison. After he turn his self in I hired Paul Brenner and he too is misrepresenting him, he won’t return calls and he is lying about the work he’s doing. I feel it’s all about the money, instead of the service for the people.
I hired Joel Ziegler, of Smithtown for a couple of cases. He distroyed,but,. the worst was I gave My Aunt injury case to him. My aunts main reason for suing was my RN bill. This was the 2nd time I took care of her. 1st time no bill, 2nd time months and she needed to sue for fall at a local hosp., extreme injuries. Atty used my bill of $81,400.00 in his lawsuit. It was a lien on the file. I was to be paid first. My cousin in Michigan and he decided to settle for $75,000. and split it 3 ways. Plus atty fees for getting me my 1/3. I was to recieve 16,000.My cousin did nothing, I did it all. I took the atty to court and HE SAID SHE ONLY NEED A AIDE. THIS ATTY THINKS HEHAS A MEDICAL DEGREE. I CAN’T FIND A ATTY TO COMPLETE THIS CASE. HE HAS HAD MY MONEY FOR YEARS. HE SUES OTHER ATTORNEYS. He also, had a closing on my aunt condo. that I purchased for full market value before she died, and I moved her to Michgan. He forgot to file the papers and they were paid for, along with taxes. The condo. board refused to accept my checks and I ddn’t own the property. They knew my address and that I owned the property. The condo. atty firm Johnson, Marc Schneider, Ryan D Mitola esq have known from the beginning I was never served. I didn’t live in he house served. STATED THE PERSON WAS 5′4″ 130-150 dark hair and eyes. How many woment match that. Judge Molia and Law Clerk cold care less. My condo is set for forecloser $50,000 in atty fees for a dishonest situation. BUT, CITIZENS have no rights in NYS. Interested email me carolfitz1@aol.com
I hired Mitchell Winn of Roslyn,now Garden City to handle the Ziegler case. He also, took my case for The Empire Ins. he was a ins. expert. Jeff Neiman ,esq in Brooklyn, now Manhattan.Had the case befoe him. Also, a Ins. expert. NOW PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER. Forgot to file the 60 day notice of claim and I lost the court case. Mitchell refused to put in the case I file a complaint with NYS Ins. Dept for adjuster Dru MaCarthy’s anti white slander,and abusive behavior, but the other side used it against me. I am not anti anything but liers. Judge Sharkey in Brooklyn allow this slnder. Mostly non white jury. REVERSE DISCRIMINATION allowed by Judge and my atty. Now I must file a appeal. KNOW A EXCELLENT HONEST ONE PLEASE EMAIL ME AT CAROLFITZ1@AOL.COM.tHE BAR DOES NOTHING ABOUT THESE VIOLATIONS. MEDICAL ARE TOGETHER MALPRACTICE/ETHICIAL, THE ATTORNEYS ARE THE COURT MALPRACTICE AND THE FRIENDLY BAR ETHICS. SO, WE GET NO PLACE QUICK. PLEASE, continue to let us the public know of bad attys, and judges.We don’t hve the same rights in the court. we should. email carolfitz1@aol.com. WE NEED HELP IN OUR COURTS FOR WE THE PEOPLE> HONEST JUDGES AND ATTORNEYS
LOOKING FOR A EXCELLENT INSURANCE ATTORNEY AND APPEALS ATTY, QUICK. WANT THE BEST NOT JUST THE MOST EXPENSIVE. CAROLFITZ1@AOL.COM
I had a slip and fall at a tile store in Lake Worth, Fl in April of 2009. So i hired an Attorney Named Danial Lacisa from boca Raton, FL i ended up having major surgery on my foot with over 100k in medical bills now. The Attorney has receive 15k in Medpay. well i fired him and hired a new Attorney for my case. He sent my new Attorney my file but none of the Medpay and says he is keeping it for his Fee when i signed a contract that said he doesnt collect unless i win my case. Is he intitled to keep the medpay?
In July 2007 Eskos & Adlars in Concord Ca. they are debt attorneys they won which if fine but for soom reason they turn my case or to Mann Bracken in Concord California. I already signed up with a debt management company which they were taking money out of my checking account and paying Mann Bracken also. My account is paid in full but they won’t inform the sheriff office that they recevied money from the debt manaqgement company Cynthia Carter has made alot of false promisses now she won’t talk to me and had another in the company talk to me and he said they don’t hqave to report that money to the sheriff department. so now I have the sheriff office with a balance that should be paid in full. And now I still a balance and no one to help me.
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