who can i complain to about a bad attorney

by Prof. Orpha Littel DDS 9 min read

If you believe an attorney has committed professional misconduct, you have the option of filing a complaint with the attorney regulatory authorities in your jurisdiction (links below). Filing a complaint against an attorney is a serious matter, and should be limited to significant problems.

File a Complaint With Your State's Lawyer Discipline Agency
In most states, it's the bar association; in others, the state supreme court.

Full Answer

How do I file a complaint against a lawyer?

Jun 20, 2016 · Each state has a different organization that reviews complaints against lawyers. In many states, a division of the courts handles these complaints. This is typically referred to as the disciplinary board. Some states rely on their state bar associations to discipline their attorneys.

Can a judge review a complaint against a lawyer?

Apr 03, 2017 · If you are unsure whether your concerns with an attorney involve professional misconduct, in most states you can call or email the disciplinary office and discuss the matter prior to submitting a written complaint. Contact information for attorney regulatory authorities, by jurisdiction: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado

What happens if I file a complaint with the State Bar?

File a Complaint With Your State's Lawyer Discipline Agency Every state has an agency responsible for licensing and disciplining lawyers. In most states, it's the bar association; in others, the state supreme court.

What are the most common complaints against lawyers?

The State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel handles complaints about unethical attorney conduct from several different sources, including clients, family and friends of clients, courts, opposing counsel, members of the public or other third parties, and anonymous submissions.

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What is the most common complaint against lawyers?

Perhaps the most common kinds of complaints against lawyers involve delay or neglect. This doesn't mean that occasionally you've had to wait for a phone call to be returned. It means there has been a pattern of the lawyer's failing to respond or to take action over a period of months.

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

What is a ethical violation?

What is an ethical violation? In a nutshell, an ethical violation is something that is - spoken, written, actioned - that violates a company's documented code of ethics, mission, vision, values, and culture. We also know that ethical violations laugh in the face of what is considered normal societal behaviour.Aug 14, 2015

What is professional misconduct for a lawyer?

Thus, 'conduct which would be regarded as improper according to the consensus of professional, including judicial, opinion could be fairly stigmatised as such whether it violated the letter of a professional code or not'. This form of professional misconduct became known as conduct unbefitting a solicitor.Mar 31, 2010