Toxic Clients: Lessons Learned
Before you accept someone as your client you assess their problem and at the same time try to assess their personality. For example, I had a client who wanted to sue Walgreens because they lost her photos. She was disappointed when I declined to represent her in this matter.
But occasionally you agree to represent someone as your client, only to find out later that they have problems coping with their emotions and the legal process. Often, they repeatedly call and dump their anxieties on you. This happens, especially in highly contested cases.
I agreed to represent two sisters in their father’s probate case. At the time I told them that if there was a difference between the two as to the representation, I would withdraw. (The Deceased, unbeknownst to me at the time of representation had been incarcerated for bank robbery and had a sizable estate — 14 acres with beautiful house with swimming pool and owned a business.)
The Deceased had no will.
I filed the probate case giving due notice to potential heirs, who hired counsel. Because of the size of the estate, it was agreed that the judge would appoint a bank as the estate trustee.
The probate process began with trying to list the assets and liabilities. However, I was not aware that the Deceased had a safe in his house with a large sum of money. My clients, again unbeknownst to me, hired a locksmith to crack his safe. They removed the money and placed it in their safe deposit box.
Opposing counsel informed me of what my clients did, and the Judge ordered that I turn the moneys over to the bank trustee.
I contacted my clients and told them that I had to turn the money that they had taken over to the bank trustee.
My clients retrieved the money from their safe deposit box, and I trusted the daughter #1 as she counted the money out in front of me. I put the money in the trunk of my car and went to the courthouse to deliver the monies to the bank trustee. (Later, I thought, “Gee, that was enough money to pay off my mortgage,” but I was not enticed to keep it for myself.)
I delivered the money.
Later, daughter #2 told me that her sister was going to tell the judge that I had stolen a portion of the money for myself. I was being set up.
I withdrew and filed my petition for fees. My clients did not object to my petition because of all my documentation. I felt good about walking away with my fees and the fact that I no longer represented them.
I was naïve, and trusted that my clients would be honest with me. I certainly never thought that they would falsely accuse me of theft. You learn something new every day!
While working as the supervisor of the Evanston Hospital Blood Bank, Caroline Zoes attended law school at Chicago Kent at night. After graduation, she worked nights at the hospital and practiced law during the day. During her legal career she has handled more than her share of unusual cases, including a dispute between Ms. Nude Spain and Ms. Nude Venezuela.