What is with attorney's? Are they ALL cheap?

[matcom]

I have an attorney who is a customer of mine. He NEVER pays his bills on time. I sent him an invoice for $600.00 a month ago. Had to send it again as he CLAIMS he didn't get it (again) :eyes:

$600.00

Now he wants to pay $300 now and $300 in a month

$600.00

:argh:

The guy who owns the company I work full time for is an attorney as well. He NEVER pays ANY of his bills on time. To the point where they threaten to shut off the phones or pick up the copy machines, etc... and THEN he pays them.

:eyes:

I'm sorry to over generalize but attornies make a TON of money! :wtf:

[Raven]

1. Kill all the lawyers!

Somebody famous said that.

[Deep13]

3. We'll shoot back.

Fair warning.

[Crabby Appleton]

13. Wm Shakespeare - a very smart man

The quote is from King Henry VI amongst Shakespeare's most famous

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers". - (Act IV, Scene II).

[Debi]

19. Oh, yes...and spoken by such an honorable character w/in the play

we all should know what was meant by the quote ;)

[underpants]

2. Well .... you really have to watch the Jewish ones

Stop it! I was only kidding.

I have no idea maybe they figure you will be awed by their lawyerness or maybe they will pull the old "no you agreed to ____"

Who knows.

[matcom]

4. "awed by their lawyerness..."

:rofl:

BOTH of these lawyers are dumber than rocks. really. the one I work for is a real estate attorney who brags that he knows nothing about real estate except he knows where people need to sign the forms.

lives in a 4,000 sqf home :eyes:

[underpants]

10. I worked at a law newspaper when I was in college

Not that they were any dumber than most but I did learn the bar has about a 70% PASS rate. Monica Goodling's class at Regent had a 60% FAIL rate.

God answers all prayers-it's just that sometimes the answer is NO and sometimes it, apparently, is WRONG

[Midlodemocrat]

5. "Get the Father, he's more Jewish"

Famous Archie Bunker line.

[Deep13]

6. Lawyers' dirty little secret...

...a lot of us are poor. Clients stiff us a lot, law school debts are huge and it is expensive to run an office. Plus, fees, fees, fees. Fees for the bar license, for the local association, for malpractice insurance, for dry cleaning, etc. etc. For the whole time I was self employed 1997-2003, I was in the red.

[underpants]

7. You should sue

:hide:

[Deep13]

8. My creditors beat me to it. nt

[matcom]

9. wow really?

i don't buy that with the 2 I mentioned in the OP.

both have $50,000 cars, luxery homes etc...

[Deep13]

11. I can't speak for everyone.

I just know that on the whole not all lawyers are doing well and as a group we do less well than other licensed professionals.

[Debi]

20. I think we've talked before

I'm not a lawyer, just married to one (and his secretary so we save $$). If ONLY we were actually PAID what we billed!!!

[Mrs.Matcom]

25. pull the plug on the web site!

He will pay you in full post haste! You are far to nice to your 'clients'. Let me at them, I'll have all your money to you in three days!!! :*

[legally blonde]

17. I agree with Deep13

Most attorneys are in small private practice and they have to make sure their employees get paid first. Only a small percentage of attorneys make the big bucks.

I know from experience -- I'm dead-ass broke. I'm still trying to pass the bar, all my loans are in deferment, and I have to borrow money from my parents to pay my rent. Being a lawyer isn't a ticket to easy street. But, it definitely sucks that you aren't getting paid.

[Bake]

18. And how about the cost of BOOKS????

Geez, what single volume book really ought to cost $500? And don't even get me started on WestLaw. They hook you on that in law school by giving it away, like crack at the playground. When you get out, they want your first-born.

Bake

[Debi]

22. WestLaw for a one attorney firm

is a killer!!! But I'm told we can't live w/out it so we find a way to pay for it...:shrug:

[Deep13]

28. I use the law library's.

They have Lexis. I have to be a member of the library association, but it is not that expensive.

[Debi]

30. one computer in our law library...n/t

[ohiosmith]

12. Yes, they are. Having managed several properties occupied by a high percentage of law firms of

varying sizes and specialties, it is my experience that they ALL tend to be cheap conniving bastards.

[Kutjara]

14. The phenomenon isn't confined to lawyers.

I've done a lot of IT consulting work for professional services clients over the years and, while the lawyers are indeed lousy at paying in full and on time, doctors are worse. Accountants aren't much better. Don't even get me started on management consultants. Chiselers, every one.

[SOteric]

15. I would ask, by the same token,

why is it that people with advanced technical degrees, years of experience in high tech corporate environments and even engineering experience cannot seem to work a copier - or for fuck sake, the coffee pot?

Select number of copies. Place original on glass. Push button. Why is this more complicated than relational databases and systems architecture?

Open premeasured coffee pouch. Pour contents in filter cone. Put carafe on hot plate. Push button.

"Awww. Is da big, bad engineer afwaid of da widdle coffee machine?" x(

[northernsoul]

16. We pay all of our invoices immediately

and our vendors have told us that we are the only law office they work with that does so. Apparently this is just one of many dysfunctions present in the profession. Sorry to hear that you're getting stiffed.

[ploppy]

21. If you think

they have the money to pony up send someone obnoxious (and hopefully smelly) to wait in their office for the check. You should have your money in no time at all.

[Debi]

23. Wow, they do???

I've got to go beat the hell out of my husband...he must be holding out on me...a TON of money you say??? :rofl:

[matcom]

35. well, these 2 do

been to both their houses. one was bought for $1.8 Mil the other for just under $1.4

[rug]

24. Maybe he didn't think your thong pictures are worth 600 bucks.

[Zomby Woof]

26. They're not as bad as travel agents

Travel agents suck the scum off the bottom of Karl Rove's toes.

Our niece is a lawyer, and a credit to her profession. She's not cheap, but has a reason to be: law school student loans bigger than some mortgages.

[Mz Pip]

27. Is he in private practice

or does he work in the public sector? My son is an ADA and is squeaking buy with his living expenses and paying off his student loans. Not all attorneys are rich.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[reyd reid reed]

29. Every one that I've worked for

(I was a legal secretary) was tighter than a sewn-shut colon. They pinched every penny, counted letterhead and stamps and wrote letters of complaint when they traveled so that they could get their bill either comped or reduced. And heaven forfend they offer a raise.

Cheap, cheap, cheap.

x(

[Deep13]

31. You know what would lower atty. fees?

I know this is a bit of a tangent.

Stop requiring a four-year degree before applying to law school. It really has nothing to do with practicing law and only increases the expense of becoming a lawyer.

[Debi]

32. How about if people quit asking for free legal advice?

I mean family members..neighbors..golf buddies..

I find it interesting that our groceries and gas have to be paid for, our dry cleaning and phone bill have to be paid, our car payment and mortgage have to be paid. Doctor and dentist must be paid for services as well as our mechanic. And yet, when they have a 'simple' problem they want us to do it for free. "Hey, bud, just got a quick question for ya...." I think if everyone who needed a lawyer PAID that lawyer we'd be able to pay everyone we owe :bounce: what a concept.....:hi:

[Deep13]

33. Yep. I tell them "no."

I can't give advice without a complete intake interview which includes checking for conflicts of interest. These folks don't realize that we are just as much on the hook for liability for a quick answer as we are for taking case to trial. And you're right, we don't ask accountant friends just to take a quick look at some business receipts or carpenters just to toenail in a few joists.

[Debi]

34. But...aren't you one of those rich lawyers who have a TON OF MONEY?

Why wouldn't you help a buddy out??? :eyes:



:hi:

[Deep13]

36. I feel like I am compared to the past.

Actually I work for the county and don't make anywhere near what a successful private atty. makes, especially one that bills big companies or charges a contingency fee.

Go figure.