Back already. I received a call last week and felt that I need to share the coversation I had with who ever may be out there.

The call came from a woman who started out bytelling me that he husband was insisting on taking some carpeting and that she wanted to know what her rights were. With some proding, I learned that she was in the midst of a divorce and that the carpeting in question was in a house that she wanted as a part of a dicorce property settlement. I asked: "Are you represented by an attorney in this divorce?" to which she said that she was and gave me the name of the attorney. I told her that this was a question that she ought to be discussing with her attorney, to which she replied that" if I ask him, he will charge me".

Some place along the line, her attorney has failed her at least in terms of their fee arrangement. Attorneys are entitled to charge for their time and advice. They really have nothing else to sell. However, there needs to be some common sense applied so that clients don't feel that they can't discuss matters that are important to them for fear that their bill will skyrocket out of control.

If you are going to hire an attorney to represent you, insist upon an open and candid discussion about fees and costs. You have a right to know how and why you will be charged.