What If I Don’t Agree with My Lawyer?

Ottawa Lawyer-  Sometimes a lawyer and a client disagree about a decision to be made on a case.  It could be about a small detail, like the timing of a motion or discoveries.  Or the disagreement could be more fundamental, such as the value of the case or the amount to offer to settle the case.  Clients sometimes worry that they cannot disagree with their lawyer without risking the lawyer walking away from the case.

The lawyer’s job is to give the best advice that she can give to the client.  However, the decisions to be made on the case are the clients’ decisions, not the lawyer’s.  As the client, you have right to call the shots and the lawyer’s job is to implement those decisions, subject to the lawyer’s ethical and legal obligations.

As the decision maker, the client has the obligation to voice his or her opinions and speak up if he or she has comments or questions about the steps being proposed in the case.  Ultimately, the client’s job is to give clear instructions on all important decisions.

If you have questions about the lawyer-client relationship in a personal injury case, please contact our law firm at 613 233-4529.

About the Author: Brenda Hollingsworth

Brenda Hollingsworth co-founded Ottawa’s Auger Hollingsworth in 2005 with her husband Richard Auger. Together, their mission was to create a personal injury law firm for Eastern Ontario that is unrivalled in the province for customer service and legal expertise. Brenda was named an Ottawa Business Journal Forty Under 40 award recipient and took home the Women’s Business Network’s Businesswoman of the Year award in the Professional category. She was also recognized as one of Ottawa Life Magazine’s “Top 50 People in the Capital.” She is often quoted as an expert and has appeared in media outlets such as CTV, The Globe and Mail, National Post, Ottawa Citizen, Sun Media, CBC, Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette, CFRA and many legal publications.

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