RE: Someone to listen to me while I blow off steam!!
Okay.... I just got off the phone with my attorney that I've used for personal matters a long time ago.
She stated that legal research in the manner that I did it was not UPL. Given the fact that the "client" and I were friends and co-workers actually helps my case out more.
The attorney stated that in MA legal advice is not legal research. Given the fact that no paperwork was ever submitted to the Bankruptcy Court, and I never filled out any Court paperwork disproves what the "client" is trying to say about myself.
My attorney says that I helped out a friend at a reasonable cost for the 30 hours of research time plus the cost of the binder. I charged approximately 11.60 cents per hour to help a "client" in looking up things on the internet and got publicly accessible information (Bankruptcy Rules of Court) for the "client". Therefore, it was a service anyone could have provided. It is not considered practice of law in Massachusetts.
My attorney actually suggested that I slap a civil lawsuit against the Attorney who wrote the letters to the Judge and U.S. Trustee's office for Slander and/or Defamation of Character. In addition, the attorney now representing the "client" acted quickly and neglected to find out other facts before writing his letters to the Judge/US Trustee's office.
Please give me you input as to whether or not you'd slap someone with a Defamation of Character/Slander suite for doing what the "client" and the attorney did.
note: I use the term "client" now loosely. I'd rather referr to the "client" a client rather then friend. |
