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Is it legal for my attorney to involve another in case without my knowledge?

Asked in Redmond, OR - 8 months

Can your attorney involve another in your case having take actions involving case without your permission? I understand getting advise or consulting for wisdom, but to have the appear in the first atorney's place, when client didn't even know this person? isn't there a responsibility to inform or ask the client first behfore hand? This is a non-emergency situation. Can or should this be reported?

Attorney Answers (3)

Jay Bodzin

Jay Bodzin

Portland Family Law Attorney

Licensed in OR

Answered 8 months ago. I get the impression that this post may be connected to a number of other posts that were made at about the same time today - This:
http://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/what-qualifie...

This:
http://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/what-do-i-do-...

&c. The same advice applies in all cases. Ethical complaints should be taken to the Oregon State Bar's Client Assistance Office, online at www.osbar.org/cao .
Nothing posted on this site is intended to create an attorney-client relationship. Each case is unique. You are... more
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Phillip Charles Gilbert

Phillip Charles Gilbert

Gresham Personal Injury Lawyer

Licensed in OR

Answered 8 months ago. You may well have a valid concern here but, if you haven't already done so, I would encourage you to: (1) re-read the Fee Agreement that you signed when retaining the attorney to see whether it contains language whereby you authorized your lawyer to involve others at their discretion; and (2) send an e-mail to your attorney articulating your concerns and asking them to respond (thereby creating a "paper trail" for possible future use).
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Lonn T W Johnston

Lonn T W Johnston

Redmond Litigation Lawyer

Licensed in OR

Answered 8 months ago. Attorneys frequently ask other attorneys to appear for them at inconsequential hearings and even often retain other attorneys to help out with certain aspects of the case. Most fee agreements expressly allow this, and depending on the facts surrounding your question, it may even have been impliedly allowed based on the nature of the representation. That said, it is essential to keep your client informed about their case, and that duty may, but doesn't necessarily have to, include notifying the client about the involvement of other attorneys.
Answers provided are my own personal opinions based on the facts presented and should not be construed as legal... more
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