attorney for consultation is a former high school classmate

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dragonnet22

New Member
Jurisdiction
Texas
I have a family matter in the state of Texas that might involve an attorney to represent me, but the fact that person is a former high school classmate concerns me. For me personally, I did not enjoy my experience at the high school I attended back in my teens.
 
I am concerned that an attorney who is a former classmate might not be able to be entirely objective with his help in legal matters since there were past social interactions outside the scope of any legal environments.
 
dragonnet22 said:
I have a family matter in the state of Texas that might involve an attorney to represent me, but the fact that person is a former high school classmate concerns me.
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This is beyond vague (and your follow up post didn't help clarify things). Also, you didn't ask a question. What does "a family matter" mean? Are you contemplating divorce? Something else?

Are you saying that you went to high school with the attorney who might represent you? If that concerns you, then hire a different attorney. Isn't that the obvious solution? What am I missing?


dragonnet22 said:
I did not enjoy my experience at the high school I attended back in my teens.
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"Back in [your] teens" being how long ago? I didn't particularly enjoy high school either, but it wouldn't make the slightest difference if I had a business dealing with a classmate because it's been a long time since high school.
 
dragonnet22 said:
I have a family matter in the state of Texas that might involve an attorney to represent me, but the fact that person is a former high school classmate concerns me. For me personally, I did not enjoy my experience at the high school I attended back in my teens.
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So request a different attorney to represent you if the person is part of a firm. What does it matter that he is a former classmate from high school anyway? I don't see the issue here unless this person bullied you and has an axe to grind with you from high school. That seems unlikely.
 
I don't want to be in a legal representation arrangement where a judge or jury is going to believe that a high school classmate is taking on my legal matters just because we went to the same school. Or taking on my case out of pity and familiarity.
 
dragonnet22 said:
I don't want to be in a legal representation arrangement where a judge or jury is going to believe that a high school classmate is taking on my legal matters just because we went to the same school. Or taking on my case out of pity and familiarity.
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Look, it's pretty simple: if you are uncomfortable with the attorney don't hire him and don't hire another from that firm. The judge and jury will only know he went to the same high school as you did at the same time if you tell them. Whether the attorney takes the case out of pity, or because you are fellow alumni, or whatever is something only you and the attorney would. The judge and jury won't care about what your payment arrangement is or why specifically you hired him even if they were to somehow learn of it. But the only thing that really matters is how YOU feel about hiring him. If you are uncomfortable for any reason that starts off the respresentation on a bad footing. So avoid that problem and find an attorney with whom you are comfortable working with.
 
dragonnet22 said:
I don't want to be in a legal representation arrangement where a judge or jury is going to believe that a high school classmate is taking on my legal matters just because we went to the same school.
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Why would you think anyone would possibly care about that - or even know about it?

Regardless, again, if you're not comfortable hiring a former high school classmate as your attorney, hire someone else.
 
dragonnet22 said:
I don't want to be in a legal representation arrangement where a judge or jury is going to believe that a high school classmate is taking on my legal matters just because we went to the same school. Or taking on my case out of pity and familiarity.
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So what.

Seriously. Everyone has pointed out that you could hire someone else, and you have ignored those posts. So, is this a public defender or something?
 
Red Kayak said:
So what.

Seriously. Everyone has pointed out that you could hire someone else, and you have ignored those posts. So, is this a public defender or something?
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Actually, this is not a public defender, but a former judge who ruled on child protective service cases, and the area of law I am looking for help is not in that area. I am more interested in an attorney who can assist me with family relocation issues to another state and the sale of our family home.
 
dragonnet22 said:
Actually, this is not a public defender, but a former judge who ruled on child protective service cases, and the area of law I am looking for help is not in that area. I am more interested in an attorney who can assist me with family relocation issues to another state and the sale of our family home.
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What legal issues do you need help with regarding to selling your home and moving to another state? If you are talking about a lawyer to transact the sale of you home, I would check with a realtor or title company. Even if a lawyer is needed, often the title company or realtor can help you out with that. Some states require a lawyer to manage the closing of a home sale, while others let the title company do it with lawyers they engage.

Most lawyers are only licensed to work in one state, so you might a different lawyer in the state you are moving to, but again not sure why you need a lawyer to move to another state. Can you explain this?
 

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