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Hiring and Firing Your Lawyer

This guide provides information on how to obtain the services of a lawyer, how to work effectively with your lawyer, and how to end the relationship.

General Information


About This Guide

Legal troubles can be confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming.  It can stress all your relationships, including the one you have with your attorney. This guide begins with information on how to go about hiring an attorney and how to work effectively together.  In the event you become unhappy with your attorney, we include information on formal and informal ways to resolve common complaints.  If you feel you can no longer work with your attorney, information on how to fire your attorney is also included.

Hiring and Working with an Attorney

Choosing a lawyer you feel confident in and comfortable with is the first step to a good working relationship.  These sources discuss how to go about your search for an attorney and how to work  effectively with them. 

Grievances

These resources provide information about the process of filing a grievance, a formal complaint about an attorney's misconduct or violation of disciplinary rules.

Firing Your Attorney

These resources help you consider whether to request your attorney withdraw from representing you.

E-Books Available from the State Law Library

If you have a library account in good standing, you can check out an OverDrive e-book title or access our remote databases. Don't have a library account? Texas residents can register for a library account from home! Learn more about how to register from home.

Below are some e-book titles that may help you with your research on hiring and firing your lawyer.

Books available from State Law Library

While it is generally best to exhaust every possible avenue to resolve disputes with your lawyer,  case law has established that a client may discharge his attorney at any time. Here are sources that may be helpful if the relationship cannot be resurrected. Below are some of the library resources that can provide further guidance on this topic. Please call us at (512) 463-1722 if you have any questions about these materials.