Paid $2,400 to a solo lawyer and got a paralegal's worth of work

I hired this local guy in Austin for a simple will and trust... he charged me $2,400 and then had his assistant do all the typing while he spent maybe 20 minutes total on a call with me. Took him six weeks to send a draft that had my mom's name spelled wrong. When I asked for a revision he acted like I was being picky. I get that small firm people are cheaper than big ones, but that doesn't mean they can slack. Has anyone else paid premium money for what felt like a handoff job? How do you check what the lawyer actually does before you sign the retainer?

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1 Comment

david_adams1mo agoMost Upvoted

Man, I've been burned the same way. Before you sign anything, ask flat out who does the actual work and get it in writing. And don't be shy about asking for a sample of their work on trusts, not just the fancy brochure.