Small Law Firms

That Terrible Feeling When A Client Totally Screws Up Your Friday Night Over Nothing

I could be drinking a beer.

By  
on

working in birdcageDear Cold Caller who scheduled a meeting at 4:30 PM on Friday and then failed to show up:

Really? No, I mean seriously? You called my assistant and went through the intake rigmarole indicating that you had $5,000 for a retainer for your divorce case, and that you were very excited that our office could represent you. You scheduled the meeting, and cancelled (please cue LeBron video) not once, not twice, not three times…

Yes, I bear some of the responsibility. When you cancelled our first meeting scheduled for the previous Thursday at 1:00 PM, I should have taken it as an indication that perhaps you are unreliable. But I am a bleeding-heart sap trusting person who assumed that your explanation that your four-year old was sick, and that you couldn’t find alternative day-care, was legitimate. I mean, I get it, you’re newly separated and this is an understandable reality for couples who separate.

Now the second time, last Friday at 10:00 AM, that’s a little different. It was 10:15 AM, and I was just about ready to have my assistant draft the customary “I don’t represent you” letter, when you called. This time, you had a flat tire or busted carburetor or both. I gave my assistant the “yea right” look, but again said what the hell, let’s re-schedule for next week. This time it was for Wednesday at 3:00 PM. To your credit, you called my assistant well in advance on Monday, while I was in court. You had inadvertently scheduled our Wednesday meeting at the same time you had a doctor’s appointment. When I returned from court that Monday, I noticed on my calendar that you had been re-scheduled for 4:30 PM on Friday.

I mean, 4:30 on a Friday?

This was apparently the only time you could meet, and expressed to my assistant that it was essential that you meet with me and that you were so so so so so sorry for the prior missed meetings. I was very close to having my assistant call you and send a “I don’t represent you” letter, when I decided to google you and your soon to be ex-husband. Damnit. You have a lot of money. You both have a lot of money. Your divorce will have a lot of money involved and two people who can pay the bill. Am I Charlie Brown? Are you Lucy? Is this meeting a football? Alright, fine.

Well, it’s now 4:45 PM on Friday. My assistant (along with all the other attorneys in the office) went home early, did I mention I can guarantee this will be the last nice Friday afternoon before it gets cold? I could be drinking a beer. I could be going for a run. I could be surprising my wife and showing up home early. Where are you? Are you out there? I emailed. I have called you 3 times to leave a message. It is 5:00 PM. My phone is ringing. It is you. You and your husband are getting back together. AAUGH, good grief!

Sponsored

Atticus T. Lynch, Esq. is an attorney in Any Town, Any State, U.S.A. He did not attend a top ten law school. He’s a litigator who’d like to focus on Employment and Municipal Litigation, but the vicissitudes of business cause him to “focus” on anything that comes in the door. He can be reached at atticustlynch@gmail.com or on Twitter

Sponsored

Topics

, , ,