This is Just A Rant
I feel like fucking KILLING my ex-client. He completely lied to me about not hassling me over paying the final bill & now wants to take the matter to arbitration in NY. At least this means he'll have to come back to NY from CA & will be paying the filing fees for that action. I didn't mention the program but I wasn't aware of it, didn't say I was filing suit tomorrow or even in 2 weeks & I'd have a very hard time suing a non-resident. I also don't know if the client has property in the state.
I also have a TON of evidence of what I've had to do & it highly favors me so I should get my $. It's also possible the guy will decide to pay up instead of coming back here once his trial is done. Obviously he doesn't trust any lawyer since he seems to think I'm supposed to shred HIS materials (which I'm required to do under ethics rules & it's cheaper than me marking through client names by hand), behave in a more costly manner by walking 5 minutes to the nearest MetroCard purchasing area to put $ on a card EVERY TIME I travel for his matter & go to the nearest Post Office, a 10 min walk, for free (where I normally have to stand in line & deal w/lack of A/C). ALL lawyers bill for time spent on a matter, including all travel involved. I never signed up for pro bono work, spelled out my terms & the fact that I'm newly admitted + didn't agree to terms outside the normal practices of lawyer billing. Clients don't get to micromanage your time.
I will NEVER, EVER work w/a client who has handled their own legal work or studied as a paralegal again. Said it once, I'll say it again: just b/c you appeared pro se in court, helped a friend collect documents or studied to be a paralegal DOESN'T mean you're a lawyer. People like that shouldn't even talk to real lawyers since they'll just give them grief.
I also have a TON of evidence of what I've had to do & it highly favors me so I should get my $. It's also possible the guy will decide to pay up instead of coming back here once his trial is done. Obviously he doesn't trust any lawyer since he seems to think I'm supposed to shred HIS materials (which I'm required to do under ethics rules & it's cheaper than me marking through client names by hand), behave in a more costly manner by walking 5 minutes to the nearest MetroCard purchasing area to put $ on a card EVERY TIME I travel for his matter & go to the nearest Post Office, a 10 min walk, for free (where I normally have to stand in line & deal w/lack of A/C). ALL lawyers bill for time spent on a matter, including all travel involved. I never signed up for pro bono work, spelled out my terms & the fact that I'm newly admitted + didn't agree to terms outside the normal practices of lawyer billing. Clients don't get to micromanage your time.
I will NEVER, EVER work w/a client who has handled their own legal work or studied as a paralegal again. Said it once, I'll say it again: just b/c you appeared pro se in court, helped a friend collect documents or studied to be a paralegal DOESN'T mean you're a lawyer. People like that shouldn't even talk to real lawyers since they'll just give them grief.