[Brandy T]

Can a lawyer get a settlement offer on the table, give me an altimatum to take it or she is going to withdraw from my case. I tell her I don't want to take the settlement offer because I don't think it is a fair offer. She is now withdrawing from my case. She is also saying she is going to Segragate my settlement at one third %. Is this legal? Can she do this? She even consulted another lawyer about my case. I didn't even know and without my permission. She hired him to help her with my case without permission because she didn't have time and was working on another case at the time of my Arbritration, and sent him in to my Arbritration with me. I didn't even meet that lawyer she sent in with me until the day of the Arbritration Please can you answer can she do thi legally? This is in Tennessee

[ScottGem]

There is nothing illegal about an attorney taking in another attorney as a consultation as long as she shares the fees you agreed upon with the other attorney. She can't charge you more (on an hourly basis) then your agreement called for. Or if the agreement was on a contingency, then the other attorney needs to be paid from the agreed upon share.

It is not illegal for her to give you an ultimatum, though it may be unethical. You might want to check with your local bar association about that.

[AK lawyer]

Is there a written fee agreement? If so, the answers to your questions should be contained in that agreement. I don't know about Tennessee specifically, but in most states an attorney can't withdraw from the case simply because she feels like it. She has to get court approval.

[Fr_Chuck]

No most likely the offer is or was very fair to the attorneys legal view point, they are also there to advise you on what is often or normally paid out.

Too often people want or think they will get a lot more, and end up spending years getting to court to get far less