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

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And learn the lesson--put everything in writing. If you speak
on the phone to a third part, write a letter to client
informing him. If you speak on the phone to the client, write
a letter confirming the conversation. If its not in writing--
it doesn't exist.

I had half a dozen complaints filed against me. For every
one, I could just send back copies of the correspondence and
every one was closed without further investigation.

On 10/27/05, Prairie Dawg wrote:
> 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 on his behalf that you no longer represent him.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.