Re: Tenant Lawyer by Default

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Actually, rrr, our town has run all the paralegals out of
business. Even the "big name" legal document preparers were
shut out for a time. They are slowly coming back but only to
do wills, AHCD's and maybe the occasional LLC formation. None
or the very brave are attempting Ch. 7 and uncontested matters
like divorce. The local bar assn. hits them with an unlawful
practice of law everytime. So, no the paralegals do no
unlawful detainers here. The other guy in town does the
publicity cases. The "failure to meet ADA rules" cases. Like
I said I get the "I have no hot water" complaints which I
usually send to legal aid.
On 10/06/06, rrr wrote:
> On 10/06/06, Jonny B. Goode wrote:
>> Here's the deal. I live in a city with a less than 1&37;
>> vacancy rate. Meaning lots of tenants with problems. I
>> am an atty. who takes tenant cases from time to time. For
>> some reason, by word of mouth, I am considered the go to
>> guy in town for all tenant rights cases. I never asked to
>> be. Just happened. To all the Landlord_tenant lawyers
>> out there, is there any money to be made as a tenant
>> lawyer and if so, how? I would love to help but I need to
>> eat as well.
>
> The reason you are getting so many referrals is because no
> one else wants the work because the work sucks. By now you
> know that. I don't know what you are charging, but around
> here the paralegals are charging $100 for a Pro Per UD
> Answer, and most Tenants go to the paralegals during the
> evictions.
>
> I assume you are getting referrals from tenants not being
> evicted yet but who have some other complaint... slow or non-
> existent repairs being the biggest one. Unless there is an
> attorney fee provision in the contract, its a dead end,
since
> you are not willing to do it on contingency, and they are
not
> willing to pay you hourly. Even if there is an attorney fee
> provision, the case is still iffy.
>
> Its not a winning niche. To make money on the tenant side,
> you have to find the few Premises Liability/Breach Of
> Habitability Cases that are legitimate. But its a huge
> amount of drugery for very little payoff. Its the
occassional
> big case that makes the money. The "class action" type cases
> where 30 or so tenants ban together against the big bad slum
> lord. Its pretty rare but in those cases I can see it paying
> off both in money and in publicity.
>