If you believe that your lawyer acted unethically, you should consider filing a complaint with the State Bar Association. You can complete an online complaint form or download a PDF complaint form from the State Bar Association website. You can also call the State Bar Association at 800-843-9053 (in California) or 213-765-1200 (outside of California) to discuss the complaint process. Failure to provide competent legal information may be a reason for a lawsuit due to legal negligence.
This may include drafting a contract with inconsistent terms, misusing legal authority, or failing to inform customers about deadlines. If such an error has negative consequences or hurts your case, you may have a valid claim and can sue your lawyer. However, in this case, you must prove that your lawyer acted without your permission. Lawyers sued for malpractice often cite the delay in filing a lawsuit as part of their defense, so time is a critical factor.
The Regulations state that “an attorney must abide by the client's decisions regarding the objectives of the representation” and “the client's decision to reach an agreement on a matter”. Unless a lawyer is really bad and violates your legal rights or commits malpractice, it's best not to go after your lawyer unless you have another lawyer who has shown interest in the case at hand. However, if your situation meets the criteria of legal negligence, you may decide to sue your lawyer.
