[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/can-i-fire-my-lawyer\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/can-i-fire-my-lawyer\/","headline":"Can I Fire my Lawyer?","name":"Can I Fire my Lawyer?","description":"At Butler Kahn, we\u2019re often asked by potential clients if they can fire their current lawyers.\u00a0 While we express no opinion about whether you should or shouldn\u2019t fire your lawyer, the short answer to that question is \u2018yes.\u2019 What is Unethical Solicitation? The decision to hire or fire a lawyer is a personal one, and… Continue reading Can I Fire my Lawyer?<\/span><\/a>","datePublished":"2023-03-22","dateModified":"2026-04-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/butler\/#Person","name":"Jeb Butler","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/butler\/","identifier":9,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f5a02bc71d91db5fc8645f129c4424ce6ef7af7e24fe54f4a85315a9dd28f317?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f5a02bc71d91db5fc8645f129c4424ce6ef7af7e24fe54f4a85315a9dd28f317?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Butler Kahn","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","width":210,"height":93}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/wife-consulting.jpg","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/wife-consulting.jpg","height":667,"width":1000},"url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/can-i-fire-my-lawyer\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bXfFqV1dEYg#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bXfFqV1dEYg","name":"LAWYER: Can I Fire My Lawyer? Why and how?","description":"Attorney Jeb Butler talks about what you should do if you want to fire your lawyer.\n\nFor more information, see https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/can-i-fire-my-lawyer\/\n\n*****************************************************\nSHARE THIS VIDEO: https:\/\/youtu.be\/bXfFqV1dEYg\n*****************************************************\n\u2757DISCLAIMER\u2757\n\nWe are not your lawyer. All content provided is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Any verdicts, settlements or other case results discussed are not guaranteed and must be evaluated on their own merits.\n\nButler Kahn: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/\n\nAtlanta, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/Y3fCFkRVAn7jzGD16\n\nLawrenceville, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/PaShwcicz5DQDFsD6\n\nRoswell, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/uTVtgfq3RspJ5QQbA\n\nJonesboro, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/Jr2umQB8o32QaaRK6\n\nFree Guides:\nWhat To Do After a Car Accident: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/georgia-car-accident-lawyers\/what-to-do-after-an-accident\/\nShould I Hire an Accident Lawyer: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/atlanta-car-accident-lawyers\/when-needed\/\nGeorgia Wrongful Death Statute Explained: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/georgia-wrongful-death-statute-explained\/\n\nJOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA\nFACEBOOK LINK: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/butlerfirmllc\nTWITTER LINK: https:\/\/twitter.com\/Butler_Firm\nINSTAGRAM LINK: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/butler_law_firm\/\nLINKEDIN LINK: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/butlerfirm\/\n\nSEE OUR REVIEWS \nGOOGLE REVIEWS: https:\/\/search.google.com\/local\/reviews?placeid=ChIJoR24iRoG9YgRSH8GpDMLiMQ\nFACEBOOK REVIEWS: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/butlerfirmllc\/reviews\/\n\nCheck out our previous video: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3JMQ7_NCImg","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bXfFqV1dEYg\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bXfFqV1dEYg\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bXfFqV1dEYg\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bXfFqV1dEYg\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bXfFqV1dEYg\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2021-08-10T14:43:45+00:00","duration":"PT4M28S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bXfFqV1dEYg","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw","name":"Butler Kahn","description":"We help people and families.\n\nOur firm specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases. We are based in Atlanta, Georgia. We handle cases across Georgia and, for certain types of cases, all across the country.\n\nTOP-QUALITY LEGAL WORK. We do the work that lots of law firms skip. We track down witnesses, dig into the evidence, and prepare intensely for every deposition, trial, and hearing. We take a small number of cases so that we can devote our full attention to the clients we represent.\n\nPERSONAL SERVICE. If you hire us, you get us. You won't get blocked by a receptionist or leave unreturned messages. If you want to speak with your lawyer, you can.\n\nDOING WHAT WE SAY WE'LL DO. Some law firms make big promises at the beginning, then don\u2019t follow through. We shoot straight \u2013 when we tell you something about your case, good or bad, we mean it. No fake promises.\n\nButler Kahn\n10 Lenox Pointe\nAtlanta, GA 30324\n678-940-1444\n","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/NTOsbNEALVOnRbUCg7jUzYGcC4kNKsUTEVHm5TtiTQdLlfFKksLTnmiZG_t6zDG_e4ygtnva=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bXfFqV1dEYg#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bXfFqV1dEYg#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bXfFqV1dEYg&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bXfFqV1dEYg#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":3147}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bXfFqV1dEYg#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":28}]},"about":["Personal Injury"],"wordCount":2310,"articleBody":"At Butler Kahn, we\u2019re often asked by potential clients if they can fire their current lawyers.\u00a0 While we express no opinion about whether you should or shouldn\u2019t fire your lawyer, the short answer to that question is \u2018yes.\u2019What is Unethical Solicitation?The decision to hire or fire a lawyer is a personal one, and it\u2019s a decision you have to make for yourself.\u00a0 But there are some clues that should set off alarm bells.We wish this wasn\u2019t the case, but some lawyers do unethical things to get you to hire them.\u00a0 The Georgia Supreme Court does not allow lawyers to contact potential clients unless that potential client has first contacted the lawyer.\u00a0 If you did not contact an attorney\u2019s office, no one should be contacting you from that office. Additionally, sometimes lawyers will use \u2018case runners\u2019 or \u2018ambulance chasers\u2019 to reach potential clients.\u00a0 Case runners are not lawyers.\u00a0 Rather, they are hired by lawyers to do whatever is necessary to get accident victims to hire that lawyer.\u00a0 Runners sometimes pay off emergency room or EMS employees, pay off towing companies, and or use police reporting websites.\u00a0 Just like the direct solicitation of potential clients, the use of case runners is also against the rules put forth by the Georgia Supreme Court.In Georgia, and most other states, \u2018case running\u2019 violates the Rules of Professional Conduct.\u00a0 Those rules are issued by the Georgia Supreme Court and guide how a lawyer should act.\u00a0 Specifically, the rules do not allow a lawyer to contact you directly about your case unless you have reached out to the lawyer first.\u00a0 Additionally, a Georgia law, O.C.G.A. \u00a7 33-24-53, makes it illegal to solicit a personal injury victim in exchange for compensation from an attorney or a healthcare provider.Lawyers that use case runners have questionable ethical standards and aren\u2019t good enough to attract clients without breaking the rules.\u00a0 Good lawyers do not need to break the rules to get clients because their work speaks for them.How Should I fire my lawyer?Firing your personal injury lawyer is relatively simple. Send your lawyer something in writing, such as a letter or an email stating that you no longer need their services. Confirm that your communication was received. Keep a copy of any written correspondence that you send to your lawyer.Your termination notice should let the lawyer know the reason for the decision and should also give instructions as to where to send a copy of your file. Your file belongs to you, so your lawyer is required to provide it. Your file should also contain important material like medical records, accident reports, and witness statements. It\u2019s important that you obtain a copy of this material to give to any new attorney you may wish to hire.Consider contacting the insurance companies involved to inform them that you are no longer working with this particular lawyer as well.When is the best time to fire my lawyer?If you decide to fire your lawyer, it’s best to do it before a settlement offer is made.\u00a0 The reason is that most representation agreements with personal injury lawyers say that the lawyer gets a share of any offer on the table at the time the lawyer is fired.\u00a0 The lawyer could also have the legal right to collect the value of any services rendered or what the law calls \u2018quantam meriut.\u2019\u00a0 If you fire your lawyer early, there usually isn\u2019t much work that has been done and a lawyer might not pursue that money.\u00a0 Finally, there may be additional (or different) terms in the contract that you signed with your lawyer.\u00a0 You may want to read your retainer agreement before you send your termination notice.Can I Fire My Attorney if I Signed a Contract?Yes, you can. In Georgia, essentially all attorney-client representations should begin with a written contract, so this question almost always applies. In other words, almost every time someone fires their lawyer, they are firing a lawyer with whom they have a written contract.The terms of that contract are important, however. Most contracts with personal injury lawyers or law firms establish what happens if the law firm is fired. We talk about this in greater detail below, but most of the time, the contract will give the personal injury law firm the right to a \u201ccontingency fee\u201d on the highest offer that has been made by the insurance company at the time that the law firm is fired. If the insurance company has not made an offer yet, the contract usually gives the law firm the right to collect for the reasonable value of the services rendered.Can I Fire My Lawyer During Trial or During Litigation?Yep. But it does get more complicated after the complaint has been filed with the Court because the litigation has to continue somehow.If a party fires their lawyer while litigation is ongoing, then there are basically two options. First, the person can represent themselves, which is called going \u201cpro se.\u201d That often doesn\u2019t work out well because it takes some experience and skill to litigate successfully, and most judges strongly prefer that parties hire lawyers who know how to move the case forward. But, it is an option, and you do have the right to represent yourself.Second, the party who fires their lawyer can hire a new lawyer or law firm. If that happens, the new lawyer simply files a \u201cNotice of Substitution of Counsel\u201d to let the Court and the opposing lawyers know who the new attorney is going to be. Then the case continues with the new lawyer.There can be some practical difficulties. Litigation often involves complexity, and it can be hard for a new lawyer to jump in mid-stream because there is a lot of information to catch up on. Many lawyers are reluctant to become involved with cases that are already being litigated because more often than not, the old lawyer hasn\u2019t done a good job and the new lawyer has to try to clean up lots of mistakes.That\u2019s another reason why, if you\u2019re going to change lawyers, it\u2019s best to do that early.Do You Have to Pay Your Lawyer if You Fire Them?It depends.\u00a0 It depends on how much has been done before the lawyer is fired, and what your contract with the lawyer says.Let\u2019s talk about the contract first.\u00a0 Most personal injury contracts specify that if the law firm is fired, then the law firm has a right to collect its contingency percentage (usually between one-third and 45%) of the highest offer that the insurance company makes before the law firm is fired.\u00a0 But if there is no offer on the table when the law firm is fired, then this part of the contract is not applicable.Most personal injury contracts also specify that if the law firm is fired before there is any offer on the table, then the law firm has the ability to collect in \u201cquantum meriut.\u201d\u00a0 Quantum meriut is a fancy legal term that basically means the value of services provided.\u00a0 In other words, the law firm that is fired would have a right to collect for the reasonable value of the work that the firm did before it was fired.Most of the time, lawyers and law firms who are fired don\u2019t bother to collect in quantum meriut because most of the time, if they\u2019re fired before the insurance company makes an offer, the lawyer or law firm hasn\u2019t done much.\u00a0 In that circumstance, it isn\u2019t worth the law firm\u2019s time and trouble to try to prove the value of their services.\u00a0 So in that circumstance, it is common for the person who fires their lawyer to not have to pay anything to the firm that was fired.That\u2019s a big reason why, if you\u2019re going to have to fire your lawyer, it is best to do that early.\u00a0 Firing a lawyer is usually a hard decision, and if you\u2019re reading this because you\u2019re thinking about it, we would emphasize again that whether to fire your lawyer is your decision, and we offer no opinion about whether you should or should not do it.\u00a0 But if you need to change lawyers, it is best to do that early, before the insurance company makes an offer or the law firm has done a lot of work on your case.\u00a0 That way, you will end up owing little or nothing to the lawyer you have to fire.Reasons to Fire Your LawyerThis is not a fun topic for us to write about.\u00a0 We wish all lawyers did their jobs well, and firing lawyers was not necessary.\u00a0 But we are realists.\u00a0 We know that there are some law firms out there that treat their clients like numbers and don\u2019t do good work for people who need help.\u00a0 If you\u2019re stuck with a lawyer with whom you are not comfortable, here are some signs of trouble.There are many situations where you might want to change lawyers. An essential component of a personal injury case is knowing what is happening. Good communication from your lawyer keeps you informed about the investigation, what strategy will be used, upcoming deadlines, required paperwork, communications from the insurance company, and other important information.If your current lawyer failed to explain the strategy they plan to employ for your case, you should insist on an in-person meeting to discuss those concerns. If they were unable to explain what type of compensation you could potentially earn and, more importantly, what evidence has to be uncovered before that compensation could potentially be secured, also consider meeting with them in person to get more information.If they do not communicate or agree to meetings, or the issues are not fixed to your satisfaction, consider changing lawyers.If you regularly deal with a case manager and not your attorney directly, or they fail to return your calls within 48 hours, these are also signs that you should consider changing lawyers.Bad Communication.\u00a0 When someone calls us looking for a new lawyer, this is almost always the reason.\u00a0 Callers say things like, \u201cmy lawyer won\u2019t call me back,\u201d \u201cI can\u2019t get in touch with my lawyer,\u201d \u201cI can\u2019t get an update on my case,\u201d and \u201cI don\u2019t know what is going on with my case,\u201d or even \u201cmy lawyer won\u2019t talk to me.\u201dAnd, frankly, those are good reasons to fire a lawyer.\u00a0 The rules of ethics that govern lawyers require that lawyers keep their clients updated.\u00a0 Communication is key and (as our Google reviews show) we prioritize communicating with our clients with regular updates.\u00a0 We also believe that lawyers \u2013 not simply \u201ccase managers\u201d \u2013 should be available to talk with their clients. If you aren\u2019t getting that, it is a sign of trouble. If you don\u2019t know what is happening with your case and you can\u2019t get an update from your lawyer, that can be a valid reason to fire them and move on.Runners and Client Solicitation.\u00a0 This is one of the most embarrassing things about our profession, honestly.\u00a0 Way too many personal injury law firms unethically solicit clients, often using what we call \u201crunners.\u201dIf you have been in an accident or have been hurt, lawyers are not supposed to call you, show up at the hospital, or show up at your door. In other words, you are supposed to have some time to recover and then choose a lawyer on your own.\u00a0 When a personal injury law firm contacts you \u2013 instead of you contacting them \u2013 that is an unethical violation of the rules that govern lawyers, and it is a very bad sign.Good lawyers and law firms don\u2019t do that.\u00a0 If your lawyer or law firm unethically solicited you as a client by cold-calling you, showing up at the hospital, or showing up at your house, the chances are very high that the law firm is not a good one.\u00a0 Many bad law firms use \u201crunners\u201d to cold-call clients or show up and offer representation to injured people.\u00a0 That\u2019s a good reason to fire your lawyer.Incompetence.\u00a0 You hired a lawyer because you wanted an expert to guide you through the process of bringing a personal injury case.\u00a0 You probably don\u2019t know the details of law and litigation, which is why you hired a lawyer in the first place, so it can be hard to tell whether your lawyer knows what they\u2019re doing or not.\u00a0 But sometimes, you just get that feeling.\u00a0 If you become convinced that your lawyer is not competent, that\u2019s a good reason to move on.Sample Attorney Termination LetterFor a printable version of this letter, follow this link.Not to repeat ourselves too much, but whether to fire your lawyer is your decision. We don\u2019t have an opinion about whether you should or should not fire them. But if you decide to fire your lawyer, it is best to do it in writing.That can be in an email, in a letter, or in a text message. It can be simple. You might as well be polite (because being rude won\u2019t accomplish anything). For example, your letter or email might look like this.Dear [name of lawyer or law firm],Thank you for representing me in my case. However, I have decided to hire a different lawyer. For that reason, I no longer want [name of law firm] to represent me. Please note that the representation is now terminated, effective immediately.Please send me a copy of my complete file related to the case.Thank you,[your name]"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Can I Fire my Lawyer?","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/can-i-fire-my-lawyer\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]