Pro tip: I emailed a lawyer about a $75 parking ticket and got a bill for $300

Last month I got a ticket for parking in a spot I swear was legal in Dayton, Ohio, so I figured I would ask an attorney for a free consult. I called a guy whose ad said no charge for the first talk, and he spent about six minutes telling me the ticket was probably not worth fighting. Two weeks later a bill shows up for $300, and when I called the office the receptionist said the sign-in sheet counts as starting the clock. I asked for an itemized list and they sent one line that just said 'review of matter.' I ended up paying the $75 ticket plus the $300, so the whole thing cost me $375 to learn that a free consult is not always free. Has this happened to anyone else, and is there any way to push back on a bill like that?

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morgan31610d ago

Did the ad actually say "free consult" or just "no charge for the first talk"? Because that wording matters a lot if you ever want to fight this. In Ohio, a lawyer has to put their fee agreement in writing before they start work, and a sign-in sheet is not that. You could file a complaint with the state bar about the billing, it costs you nothing, and a lot of times they will drop the bill instead of dealing with it.

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