My Friend (A) is in a dispute with someone, who hired a lawyer (B). B threatened A that they would contact A's employer and tell them about what was going on, if A did not do a certain thing by a certain date for their client. A's employer has nothing to do with the dispute. Is this legal what B has done? If not, what can I do to get back at B? They have made my friend A a basket case by saying this!
2007-08-10 06:55:25 · 8 answers · asked by Holly 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment ➔ Law & Legal
I called a help line in town and they directed me to the local Disciplinary Board's web site. I wanted to call the b*tch and tell her I was going to report her but my friend got scared & told me not to. I will see how this plays out - if she continues to bully I'm going to do it anyway, and most definitely so if the b*tch contacts my friend's employer! I found out the names of a board or two this woman serves on and I think they deserve to know her tactics as well.
2007-08-10 08:54:23 · update #1
That sounds like blackmail to me and that is a criminal offence and enough to get the lawyer disbarred!
2007-08-10 06:59:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Unethical and definintely legally suspect - this must be one sleazy lawyer. The lawyer is making threats that s/he knows cannot legally be fulfilled. Tell your friend that unless the lawyer plans to subpoena his/her employer, the threats are empty.
Your friend should also consider reporting this attorney to the bar association of the state in which you reside. If the attorney is part of a larger law firm, a cease-and-desist letter to one of the partners (one of the folks whose name is in the title of the company) might do the trick as well as alerting the top folks to the unethical behavior of someone further down the totem pole.
Good luck.
2007-08-13 16:40:52 · answer #2 · answered by Mel 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No by law they can't do that. If the dispute has nothing to do with A's job then the lawyer is just trying to scare him. The best thing for your friend to do would be to get a lawyer to look into the case.
2007-08-10 14:00:16 · answer #3 · answered by James G 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe there is such a thing as client privilege information. I do not think he is able to do this but I do know that lawyers have a way of stirring things up and getting you upset.
Without knowing the details etc. I would suggest that your friend get himself a lawyer.
2007-08-10 14:14:04 · answer #4 · answered by foxandthehound 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It may depend on the nature of the dispute and state law, but I believe this would be an unethical practice in most jurisdictions.
Call whatever your state calls the "grievance committee" that regulates lawyer conduct and ask them.
2007-08-10 14:03:27 · answer #5 · answered by open4one 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would report the SOB attorney to the Bar Association immediately and file a complaint. This is outright blackmail and that attorney can not only lose his license, but your friend can certainly walk away with a bit of change in his/her pocket.
2007-08-10 14:11:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it has nothing to do with the employer, then don't worry about it. If some lawyer called me and started airing one of my employees' dirty laundry, I would tell them I am not interested and hang up.
2007-08-10 14:10:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your friends needs to tell the attorney that he wants his bar # and that they are going to report them to the State Bar Association. It is not legal for them to call anyone and discuss their private business.
2007-08-10 14:05:19 · answer #8 · answered by saved_by_grace 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋