As you probably know, lawyers in the United States follow a set of ethical rules that are established by the bar association.
If a lawyer violates any of those ethical rules, he or she faces disciplinary action for misconduct. Depending on the precise violation, the punishment could be a fine or temporary or permanent loss of license to practice law in that state and other states.
When you hire a lawyer, you need to make sure he or she is ethical. So, let us review the situation more closely.
Red Flags That Your Lawyer Is Being Unethical
You could hire a lawyer for many reasons, such as handling intellectual property theft or unfair dismissal from your workplace.
One of the most common reasons for hiring a lawyer is to gain compensation after being involved in a road accident. According to the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019, motorcyclists were almost 29 times more likely to die in crashes than passengers in cars, so it is not only car accidents that can cause serious injuries and fatalities.
To find out more about road accident lawsuits, check out the helpful information at lucasmagazine.com.
Whatever type of case you need a lawyer for, you need to ensure your lawyer is ethical. While the vast majority of lawyers strictly follow ethical rules to the letter, like any industry, you could come across the odd bad apple.
To spot whether your lawyer is unethical, you need to know what signs to look for.
There are various signs that your lawyer could be acting unethically and trying to take advantage of you. For instance, he or she could overbill you or charge you for work that was not completed.
Your lawyer could even steal or misuse your retainer and other legal funds. Lying or intentionally hiding evidence in court is another sign to watch out for, as is revealing confidential information about your case and not disclosing professional relationships with the opposing party.
Missing deadlines and not filing documents are red flags too.
Do Not Underestimate How Important Spotting Red Flags Is
An unethical lawyer can potentially ruin your case, so do not underestimate how important it is to know how to spot unethical actions.
For example, if your lawyer is overbilling or misusing your funds, you could not have any money left over after winning the case. That will be devastating, especially if you have costs like medical expenses to cover.
Also, a lawyer not disclosing his or her personal or professional relationships with other parties can cause a conflict of interests. That would harm your case because your lawyer may not have your best interests at heart and therefore not work towards getting you the best settlement.
Regardless of the particular unethical behavior, if your lawyer is unethical in any way, it is clear that he or she is pursuing individual interests, not yours.
What to Do if You Spot Unethical Behavior
Once you know what constitutes unethical behavior from a lawyer, you can spot it and stop it.
The good news is many courts allow you to hire a new lawyer in the middle of a lawsuit.
However, there are usually time limitations and other qualifying factors. So, the sooner you spot unethical behavior, the better.
Remember, the vast majority of lawyers always adopt ethical practices and have your best interest at heart. But all the same, be ready to spot the warning signs of an unethical lawyer.
