My colleage & I contacted a lawyer regarding an employment issue - everything was a "joint" discussion & joint issues. It was agreed that the costs for services would be divided equally between my colleague & I. I received my copy of the invoice today & essentially, the lawyer has charged us both for what were joint services. For example, we had a 2 hour phone conversation among the 3 of us...I was charged the full hourly rate for the two hours, as was my colleague (so we each ended up paying lawyer $300/hr for the same conversation). We were each billed full time units for emails sent to both of us at the same time. The time units are unreasonable -- for example, apparently it took the lawyer 90 minutes to "research" and compose an email regarding whether phone conversations can be taped without the other party's knowledge (a one sentence response). I was billed for emails I never received & for one in which the lawyer charged me to review a response that I had written re to an email that she sent ME to "just check in."
Is it legal for a lawyer to double-bill like this? Am I seriously responsible for paying for these grossly over-inflated time units?
I contacted the lawyer and she is adament that I pay the exorbitant amount. She wants me to call her to "discuss" the issue, but since she has charged me in the past for responding to her inquiry of, "how are you?," I am a bit hesitant.
Re: the agreement upon dividing the charges, the explanation is sticky.
1) Seperate contracts between lawyer & I vs lawyer & colleague. In both contracts, it notes that the lawyer is also representing the other person. Hourly rate is spelled out, which I agreed to. BUT....I didn't expect the lawyer to bill each of us seperately for the same conversation AND I had no idea that she would distort the time units.
HOWEVER, I have an email from the lawyer that explicitly states, "I have divided all charges and time equally among you & Ms.XYZ [my colleague]."
Is it legal for a lawyer to double-bill like this? Am I seriously responsible for paying for these grossly over-inflated time units?
I contacted the lawyer and she is adament that I pay the exorbitant amount. She wants me to call her to "discuss" the issue, but since she has charged me in the past for responding to her inquiry of, "how are you?," I am a bit hesitant.
Re: the agreement upon dividing the charges, the explanation is sticky.
1) Seperate contracts between lawyer & I vs lawyer & colleague. In both contracts, it notes that the lawyer is also representing the other person. Hourly rate is spelled out, which I agreed to. BUT....I didn't expect the lawyer to bill each of us seperately for the same conversation AND I had no idea that she would distort the time units.
HOWEVER, I have an email from the lawyer that explicitly states, "I have divided all charges and time equally among you & Ms.XYZ [my colleague]."