As attorneys, we’ve all had them. They come in different packages, but today, I want to deal with the person who is not emotionally ready to end the relationship.

This client starts to fight about minor things–just to prolong the fight. The client often makes general statements without the ability to give any specific examples. The client starts taking out his or her frustration out on you and your staff. This client persists in providing information on issues that are not legally relevant to the case.

The reality is that the other spouse is ready to just have it over. That spouse may be offering a great financial deal-just to have it over. The “difficult client” spouse is just not ready to stop fighting. Quite frankly, I can understand from a personal standpoint. I’ve been in arguments where I haven’t said my thoughts when the other person says “I’m done,” and walks away. Oh boy, I’m not done, so I follow sharing my thoughts as that person leaves the room. I was just not ready for the argument to be over.

This client is my greatest reminder that this process is an emotional one more than a legal or financial one for some people. For these clients, I just do not know if any attorney can help get them to the end. Settlement has to happen at just the right time, and for a client like this settlement is not going to come in the early days of the case.

I’ve had at least 2 or 3 clients like this in the past, and sometimes I’ve battled through to the bitter end, and sometimes I’ve cut bait. It’s at times like this that I wish I had a psychologist on my staff to join in every meeting with that client as I believe that may be the only solution. It’s impossible for me to do my job unless my client is ready to settle the case, which is a difficult pill for most attorneys to swallow.

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