Law Office of Shannon Glover

Review: [redacted] will not send me the refund on the retainer I have left over. I terminated her services in April and she sent me a statement that has an amount of $494 that was not used and needs to be refunded to me. I paid her $2000 in retainer fees in January 2013. She billed me for $1560 for filing divorce papers and emails phone calls. She told me she will send me the refund after I have a new attorney and filed a substitution form. But I already sent her a letter firing her in April and I want my money ASAP. I found out that I can even represent myself in the divorce or even take months to find a new attorney. I have no idea why she is holding on to my money.Desired Settlement: I want my refund ASAP. I need the money now. I need to take my time to find and research attorneys. I am in the process of filing for divorce which involves a spouse living overseas. It's a complicated case. Not only did she overcharge me but she won't refund me my money, or answer phone calls.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I contacted The San Diego Bar Association and was advised that as soon as I terminated the attorney with a written letter was when she was supposed to refund my retainer. I can take as much time as I need to find a replacement attorney. I sent her a letter in April and still have no refund. She is not handling my case and will not send me my refund.

Regards,

Business

Response:

My previous answer stands. I cannot refund a retainer or a portion of a retainer when I am still attorney of record, since until this client signs the Substitution of Attorney that I sent her, I am required to continue working on her case. Since that is the case, I need a retainer to bill against. The only way I can be removed from a case, and therefore not be obligated to work on the case, is for the client to sign the substitution of attorney that I sent her. A "letter" telling me to do no more work on the case does not relieve me as attorney of record; the client has been misinformed. The court will not allow me off the case without a signed substitution of attorney.I have no idea why this client will not sign the substitution of attorney since she no longer wants me to work on her case. This client can get exactly what she wants, ie a refund of the remaining balance of her retainer, simply by signing the form. I do not understand the problem here. I would add that there is a court hearing on calendar on this case that I will be required to attend if this client does not sign a substitution of attorney, the cost of which which has to be be taken out of her retainer. Obviously if I am forced to attend a hearing because the client refuses to sign the substitution of attorney, then I need to be paid for it. [redacted]