Bad Client, Bad Client - What'cha Gonna Do? - The Podcast

"SteveLehto" (stevelehto) 05/26/2016 at 09:00 • Filed to: None

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I’ve covered bad judges and bad attorneys before. A few people have asked if I have ever seen a bad client. Sure! So here are what I consider the three most entertaining of those clients that I can describe - and one more bad attorney thrown in just for fun.

Obviously, I cannot tell you any stories where I would breach the trust of my clients - but I can tell you about things which happened in public and/or open court. (Yes, that means I have a few stories I’d love to be able to tell you but I can’t - every attorney has those.)

And the bad attorney as a bonus? I completely forgot the best one. An attorney I dealt with who is in prison now for trying to hire someone to kill another attorney (not me). I couldn’t make up stories this good.

Here is the audio:

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And the video:

I also now have copies of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in hand. They retail for $27.99. If you want one signed by me for $24 (postage paid) email me directly and I will invoice you via Square. While supplies last, etc etc. Lehto@kennon.com

And the car at the top is just sad. Very sad.

Follow me on Twitter: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Hear my podcast on iTunes: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Steve Lehto has been practicing law for 24 years, almost exclusively in consumer protection and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! He wrote !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

This website may supply general information about the law but it is for informational purposes only. This does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not meant to constitute legal advice, so the good news is we’re not billing you by the hour for reading this. The bad news is that you shouldn’t act upon any of the information without consulting a qualified professional attorney who will, probably, bill you by the hour.

Colin Cowherd's Dad Was an Absentee Drunk > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 09:20

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Since the book is $3 cheaper when you sign it, can I get a free copy if I let you sign it nine times?

SteveLehto > Colin Cowherd's Dad Was an Absentee Drunk 05/26/2016 at 09:20

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It is an interesting concept.

move-over-peasant-I-have-an-M5-in-the-shop > Colin Cowherd's Dad Was an Absentee Drunk 05/26/2016 at 09:26

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Steve's signature actually depreciates goods. Now, the question is whether it's an even 11% or $3. That determines whether I need Steve to sign that used Ferrari I'm eyeballing 9 times or 90,000 times.

heeltoehero > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 09:30

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75% of my job is evicting deadbeat or nuisance tenants, and interacting with clients is the worst part of my day.

SteveLehto > heeltoehero 05/26/2016 at 09:37

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1 Bad Client can cost more time than 10 Good Clients.

GLiddy > Colin Cowherd's Dad Was an Absentee Drunk 05/26/2016 at 09:37

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Reminds me of a car story. Maybe an urban legend, but I swear I read it in a newspaper.

In the 70's a car dealer publishes an ad in the paper with a coupon good for $100 off the price of a new car. The coupon states no limitations on its use. So a woman goes and buys 70 or 80 newspapers and clips out the $100 coupons and shows up at the dealer with enough coupons to get her free car. The case goes to court and it is decided in her favor. She got the free car.

That’s why when you see coupon promotions now, they have all the fine print limiting one coupon per customer and other limitations.

SNL-LOL > Colin Cowherd's Dad Was an Absentee Drunk 05/26/2016 at 09:39

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Sure. Just pay shipping and handling .

PaulCahill-Go2Fast > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 09:41

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I miss the days when you used to write interesting articles. I’m not a podcast guy, just can’t get into it.

SteveLehto > PaulCahill-Go2Fast 05/26/2016 at 09:45

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I still write them from time to time. Just too busy lately with the books.

Ivan Moore Bacon Wright II > PaulCahill-Go2Fast 05/26/2016 at 09:48

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netloco > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 09:52

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http://www.9and10news.com/story/28270722…

ataraxia > PaulCahill-Go2Fast 05/26/2016 at 09:52

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I agree - I can’t get into Podcasts...and I’m often in a place where I can read an article but not listen to a Podcast.

SteveLehto > netloco 05/26/2016 at 09:53

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Careful, now. Ol’ Clarence might try to get someone to kill you for messin’ with him.

npc58501 > GLiddy 05/26/2016 at 09:55

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My great grandfather did something like this in Seattle in the 60s. A dealer had in the paper something like a stripped down F-100 for I think less than 2000. He liked stripped down trucks (not much to break) and proceeded to go buy it cash in hand straight up that day.

He gets there and the dealer says it’s not around. and offers him a truck for much more money. He demands the advertised truck and calls his lawyer. Lawyer explains to dealer that ad constitutes a bait and switch when the dealer never had the truck to begin with (newly illegal in Washington at the time).

He got his truck...

ateamfan42 > GLiddy 05/26/2016 at 10:00

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There was an actual case where a man tried that a few years ago. I remember reading it in the paper (I believe the dealership in question was in NH). He showed up with a suitcase full of coupons. The case went to court, and the judge ruled that it was unreasonable to assume the dealership would honor multiple coupons. He did NOT get a free car.

I seem to remember that the periodical that the coupon was in was not free, so the man in question spent something like a few hundred dollars of his own money to collect the coupons— all for naught.

npc58501 > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:03

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Make a book about your times representing people at the Dream Cruise. That is a story worth telling. I can see it on coffee tables of lawyer’s cabins up north.

ateamfan42 > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:07

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Excellent stories, Steve. Thanks for sharing— they are quite entertaining.

Yes, that means I have a few stories I’d love to be able to tell you but I can’t - every attorney has those.

What about hypothetical stories you “heard about” allegedly happening to some other theoretical attorneys? Don’t methods exist to relate the interesting bits of stories without revealing any of the identifying details that are subject to confidentiality?

Xedicon > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:08

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I gave a star and then listened - I knew it was the right thing to do! As always love your work Steve!

SteveLehto > npc58501 05/26/2016 at 10:09

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There were a couple stories there but for the most part it was just a ton of work - where most of the cases were the same.

Xedicon > heeltoehero 05/26/2016 at 10:09

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That sounds like a horrible and dangerous job.

SteveLehto > ateamfan42 05/26/2016 at 10:10

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Yes. And I’ll do that somewhere down the road. “This happened to a friend of mine *wink* *wink*.”

PatBateman > netloco 05/26/2016 at 10:18

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He looks like a guy that would put a hit out on someone. His hair is shaped like a super villain’s helmet.

GLiddy > GLiddy 05/26/2016 at 10:23

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Updating my own post FWIW. I tracked the story down, but never found anything about the outcome.

http://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/…

npc58501 > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:26

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Perfect! Write a 10 page account of the event(s). Repeat 20 times scrambling pages here and there (including words backwards and upside-down). Submit to art gallery in Midtown or Ferndale.

Profit!!!!

SteveLehto > npc58501 05/26/2016 at 10:31

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And I’ll claim it was all written by my dog. Should nab a little more PR.

Umrguy42: Add $5 for shipping and handling > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:37

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Did I understand you correctly, he tried to put out a hit on the *lawyer* of the person who sued him and won?

Umrguy42: Add $5 for shipping and handling > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:38

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Wait, is that *the* Jay Leno doing the foreword on your new book? Swanky, Steve, swanky :P

14FeistyFieSTa > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:40

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Fantastic podcast as always Steve. Figured it was just about time for a “bad clients” episode, feel like there can’t ever be a lack of dumb people seeking attorneys out there, right?

Anyways, legitimately scary about the attorney who tried to have a hit put on another attorney... and in Traverse City no less! My parents have a cottage up in that area (on Crystal Lake) and the whole TC area always seems so nice and innocent.

SteveLehto > Umrguy42: Add $5 for shipping and handling 05/26/2016 at 10:40

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Yes.

SteveLehto > Umrguy42: Add $5 for shipping and handling 05/26/2016 at 10:41

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Yes. Jay wrote the foreword to the Turbine Car book too. He does not have a Tucker (yet) but he knows a lot about them.

SteveLehto > 14FeistyFieSTa 05/26/2016 at 10:42

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And it really is a smallish town. There’s clearly no way he could have gotten away with it - which just shows you the level of idiocy they were dealing with on that one.

Umrguy42: Add $5 for shipping and handling > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 10:44

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Have you ever met him, or how did you get him to write the first one (since I assume the second one was easy in a “hey Jay, I’m writing another book, this time on Tucker, would you write another foreword?” way :P)?

SteveLehto > Umrguy42: Add $5 for shipping and handling 05/26/2016 at 10:48

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Yes. It is a rather convoluted story but I talked to him about turbine cars long before he owned one. After he bought his, he asked me to get him in touch with one of the mechanics on the program. Later, he offered to let me drive his car if I was ever in LA.

After my book came out, he had me on the web-based version of Jay Leno’s Garage.

Dake > PaulCahill-Go2Fast 05/26/2016 at 10:59

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Yeah. I prefer reading over listening almost every time. The new West Wing Weekly podcast is one of the very few instances I’ve listened to more than one episode. Unfortunately, this preference is only part of my problem here.

Steve, I love your stories, and this is absolutely no fault of yours, but your Michigan accent and voice is a near-ringer for an ex-boss of mine who I just can’t stand (and he talked a lot). I get flashbacks!

netloco > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 11:03

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Well, according to his MO, I’m OK.

My lawyer might be a little worried though.

Leonard1818 > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 11:04

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I almost maybe sort of in a small way if this were an alternate universe (it’s not right?) feel kinda bad for the drunk dude that you were appointed to represent. I mean, yeah, he violated his probation — as many surely do, but it’s not like he was out doing something horrible when he got in trouble... he was at home watching TV. Now where I feel much less bad is when he provided an encore performance at the courthouse... that was a bonehead move and he surely got what he deserved there.

heeltoehero > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 11:20

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I wish I could bill the hours I spend on the phone telling my clients to stop being stupid.

heeltoehero > Xedicon 05/26/2016 at 11:22

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It’s not so bad. I only deal with them in court or in my office. The physical evictions are handled by the City Marshal

Wil Haginen > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 11:33

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I’m not an IT guy, but I did work as a freelance IT during the summer months back when I was in school. I knew what I was doing, but I’d have more than a few interactions that followed this theme:

Client: “Hello, I am having problems with X.”
Me: “I am familiar with X. You need to do Y. I can do it for $.”
Client: “You are wrong. I heard/read/my nephew says that it’s actually because of Z. I want you to do Z.”
Me: “I can do Z, but it won’t fix your problem.”
Client: “Do Z.”

I do Z.

Client: “I am outraged. Problem still exists.”
Me: “Most humble apologies, I was correct when I recommended Y action.”

Don’t you absolutely love it when a client comes to you asking your help on YOUR area of expertise, then try and tell you that you’re wrong?

SteveLehto > Wil Haginen 05/26/2016 at 11:36

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It always boggles my mind: Why hire an expert if you think you know the answer?

Wil Haginen > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 11:45

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You know what though, these days, with how easy it is to get “bad” information and “fear-mongering” articles on the internet, I’ve learned to temper my reactions when dealing with contractors / professionals.

I’ll do my own research (or as much as I can) before going to a professional. Then if the professional says something that’s contrary to what I’ve learned, I don’t immediately shout “GOTCHA, SCAMMER!” Because lord knows I’ve dealt with enough of that when I was offering a service to the general public.

IDM3 > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 11:55

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Whoever let that Willys go to rot like that should be arrested for vehicular cruelty. (Hint, hint, Steve!) I would love to nurse it back to health and give it a good home.

klurejr > Wil Haginen 05/26/2016 at 12:01

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I work in IT as well, this is a very true thing that clients try to do to you...

klurejr > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 12:03

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Steve, why don’t you have written articles anymore? I prefer to read them instead of listen to them. I am sure many people have time to sit and listen, but many do not. I would love it if you could get a transcription of the audio at the very least.

SteveLehto > IDM3 05/26/2016 at 12:03

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I took the pic and was just struck by how sad it looked. I’m sure it could be saved but it would take a ton of work (and $).

Xedicon > heeltoehero 05/26/2016 at 12:20

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Ah - I thought you were doing the shoving out the door so to speak. Still I would imagine you get to see some real characters in your line of work!

TheBlightOfGrey > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 12:41

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Back in the day, and it still may be the case, Alaska lawyers lived by a strict guideline for client selection- Never take a case involving a horse, a dog, or someone from Seward.

timlange3 > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 12:50

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The spider crawling along the wall near the ceiling made me replay a segment twice. :-)

SteveLehto > TheBlightOfGrey 05/26/2016 at 12:55

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I have a friend who is an atty in Alaska. I’ll ask to see if it is still true.

SteveLehto > timlange3 05/26/2016 at 12:56

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He’s my director.

IDriveEveryDay > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 14:18

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And as usual, the wonderful voice of sanity and reason! Thank you Steve!

UltArc > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 15:04

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R-T-CULL. Article? ARTICLE! :)

IDM3 > SteveLehto 05/26/2016 at 16:20

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It's worth the investment.

Colin Cowherd's Dad Was an Absentee Drunk > SteveLehto 05/27/2016 at 01:03

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Later, he offered to let me drive his car if I was ever in LA.

“That’s an amazing coincidence. I have a deposition scheduled in LA next week, Jay. Let me see if I can move stuff a bit. How’s Monday morning?”