FLM 132 – Changing Representation

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(0:00 – 0:14)
Hi everyone, welcome to Family Law Matters. I’m Dr. Michael Mantell with Bonnie Rabinovitch Mantell, who is the owner and managing partner of the Primus Family Law Group. Hello, Bonnie.

(0:15 – 0:20)
Hi, Michael. How are you doing today? Doing well, thank you very much. Hope you are as well.

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Yes. Good. Bonnie, divorce proceedings start and it’s not uncommon for someone to say, I don’t like my attorney.

He’s not getting back in touch with me. He’s not doing what I thought she should be doing. This, I heard this or whatever it may be.

It happens with physicians, with psychologists, with attorneys, accountants, you name it. People decide they want to change and get different professional help. Someone’s in the process of divorce.

Can you change a lawyer, your representation in the middle of that process? Absolutely, Michael. Look, you know, divorce is probably one of the most challenging, the most emotionally fraught situations anybody is going to go through in their lifetime. And just like you say with a therapist or a doctor, you want to feel comfortable with that person.

You want to feel that that person understands you and has your best interests at heart. And so it is not uncommon because our family law industry is, we are very, very tightly ruled on how we can advertise. Most of our business comes from referrals.

(1:39 – 2:04)
So you may get in touch with an attorney that you don’t really have any knowledge about, but it was referred by my friend’s sister who had a husband who went to them. And so you figure, OK, I’ll try. And then you get in the room and you start doing things.

And it’s, you know, we’re people. You may not jive with that person. You may be somebody who needs to speak to somebody almost every day or needs to know exactly what’s going on, exactly when it happens.

(2:05 – 3:38)
And that’s your right, because your attorney, I know this is going to sound strange, Michael, but your attorney works for you, not the other way around. So you’ve got to mesh together. This is huge.

This is you, your stuff, your kids, your assets, your future. So, yes, absolutely. In the midstream of any divorce, it’s one form.

It just requires a signature that says I’m changing attorneys. You get the old attorney to sign off, the new attorney to sign on and it’s done. And it does happen.

I would say I’m fortunate to say that it doesn’t happen to primus attorneys often, but when it does happen, we don’t take offense at it. It’s not like, oh my God, it happens. Sometimes we also don’t work with the client.

We’ll look at our clients and say, you know what? It seems like you may need somebody else. So it can happen both ways. And it’s for the best of the case.

That’s really what we want is the best for the case. And if people have questions about this, whether they’re thinking about changing attorneys or, you know, they have a question about this process, how can they be in touch to learn more? Well, they can always reach us at 619-574-8000. And you will be put on my calendar for a free 30-minute consultation.

You know, you may just be looking to see a second opinion or how would you do things? And so we understand that. Or you can reach us online at www.primusfamilylaw.com.