The "Wheels of Justice" sometimes have flat tires

On Monday, I had a fairly heated conversation with Gary, the managing partner of our inept attorney's firm. He was told in gory detail all of the ways which his employee has completely screwed the pooch; he got just a mite defensive.

Jeebus...it was like talking with a fuckin' trial attorney.

One of the many issues I had was that last Thursday, the mediator's first words to our attorney were, "What made you think this case was ready to mediate?" Sadly, it went downhill from there for nine hours.

Our attorney was utterly freaking clueless. She was not prepared. She had neglected to bring critical photographic documentation which has been in her possession for more than two years. She did not insist that the plaintiff be present (which is a rules violation in CA). She had not deposed anyone, yet was already trying to negotiate a settlement before she'd even built her goddamned case!! Plus plenty more.

About the only thing she said to my friend Jim - the owner of the roofing company - afterwards was to advise him to retain a personal attorney (as the damages the crooked plaintiff wants are about $400K over our policy limits).

And she followed up by mailing him a letter the next day putting her advice in writing. What a dangerously incompetent maroon. It would seem that the University of San Diego has a Special Needs Law School.

Gary said that he'd "look into the matter" and try to get back to me later that day (as he claimed he was going to San Francisco for the day on Tuesday).

By an odd coincidence, about 30 minutes after my call, Jim got a "P.R. call" from Gary. One of the things he told Jim was that I was "very emotional".

(As DFC!, our marvelously helpful "consulting attorney" wrote in an email to me yesterday, "You were emotional?  GOOD!!!  That's how people react when they're being deprived of zealous and competent representation.")

I asked Jim if Gary had said I was actually wrong about anything I reamed him for, apparently I was not.

Heh!

Even more coincidentally, shortly after Jim's call from Gary, our attorney called to advise Jim that she would finally start scheduling depositions. (She claimed the insurer had been holding her back from this; we'll see if that's the truth...)

Jim's personal attorney will be talking to the claims adjuster (hopefully) later today to find out what the hell's going on at his end. And to put the carrier on notice regarding possible breach of contract.

And if I don't get a call from Gary by the close of business in L.A. today, I'll tear him another new asshole tomorrow for not getting back to me, as he agreed to. (I'm sure he'll attempt to claim that his call to Jim fulfilled his promise to "get back to you".)

I really want to see if that motherfucker will try to tell me I was materially incorrect about anything I told him on Monday.

It's very disheartening when even the folks who are ethically and contractually bound to defend us are colossal fuck-ups.