Re: Grievance filed: what do I do? PLEASE HELP

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Has he paid you anything? If he has I'd return it, tell him
that in view of the fact that he's pursuing legal action
against you that you cannot adequately and zealously
represent him, tell him he can call for his file if he wants
it, and notify all the people you've been negotiating with
on his behalf that you no longer represent him.
Of course if he has not paid you, that makes it better for
you.
Then secure your file and maintain your correspondence file.
You'll get a letter and if you answer it appropriately the
complaint will end up in the crapper where most of them go.
Depending on where you're practicing, it could amount to a
slap on the wrist or a private letter of reprimand if there
isn't something going on that you have not told us about.

On 10/27/05, Frank wrote:
> I posted this on the solo board earlier, and decided to
> post it here too.
>
> I've had a client file a grievance against me for
> abandonment of their case. It's a tax matter, so I've been
> dealing with the IRS. Client came to me in June, and I
> told him it could take several months to work this thing
> out with the IRS. I filed the 2848 Power of Attorney, but
> it was originally sent back because the right box wasn't
> checked. Client claims he called the IRS in September, and
> I am still not listed as the POA. I called the IRS today,
> got the name an ID # of the IRS rep, who told me that I
> was, in fact listed as the POA.
>
> In late July I contact the IRS, and discussed this case
> with them. I called client, told him that, based on my
> discussion with the IRS, I didn't think one of his
> arguments would fly. I told him the other argument would
> take enough work to exceed the estimate I had originally
> given to him. He was going to think about it.
>
> In late August, client called, and we played some phone
> tag. On Sept. 21 client sent a certified letter to me, in
> which he claimed that I still wasn't on the POA (which I
> am convinced was wrong due to my call with the IRS
> today). I had actually packaged up his file and was going
> to mail it to him, and terminate the relationship without
> charging him anything. Had I done so, his case would not
> have been hurt in any way. Now he's filed a grievance
> against me for abandoning his case, since we haven's
> spoken in a couple of months.
>
> Obviously, this is very upsetting. I've never had a
> problem before, and am scared of being disbarred or
> suspended over this. Do I need to hire someone to
> represent me in this? Do I call the client to discuss?
> Is it too late to terminate him? Please advise ASAP.