re: Attorney issues

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Yeah, that's pretty hilarious that you do the absolute minimum necessary to not get debarred. Real knee-slapper there.

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Wait what the frick?

Get a case management system that lets you text them from it. Been a game-changer for us.

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We send form reject letters in situations like this. Be careful, baw. Whether an attorney-client relationship exists can be determined by the subjective belief of the client. Our letter nips that shite in the bud.

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I wouldn’t expect Morris Bart to have that many repeat customers

As someone else said, this would be a new matter. And it's been a long time since you worked with them (6-7 years depending on when in 2017 it was). Many attorneys will not be enthused to take a call like this as one question can turn into many questions, billable time for "hey, quick question...", and starts putting them on the hook for advice when you aren't an active client. Further, are you sure they still have your files? (and is it just a lease which is potentially relevant? I would assume owner demands pertain directly to the lease and not so much financials, architectural drawings, etc. but that's beyond the scope of this reply)

If it's just a lease and a couple other documents, the old attorney never calls back, and you definitely need legal advice before replying, it shouldn't be a big deal to loan your original documents and owner demands to a new attorney, or make a copy/scan for them.

If lots of old files are relevant, I think different states have different requirements / rules for how long attorneys have to hold client files (and I think it also depends on the type of case it was). Usually, it's somewhere between 5-10 years. At 6-7 years, your files may be already shredded or sitting in off-site storage.

If it's a larger firm with an office manager, facilities manager or record manager, you might start with them since you're a former client and the attorney is not calling you back. If it's a small firm with limited support staff, the receptionist might double as a paralegal and might be able to help determine that, though maybe not as you're currently not finding the firm that helpful.

If they don't have the files and you must have legal representation (which is probably smart) to reply to the owner, you're probably going to have to start from scratch and go through the motions to hire / retain the old attorney (if he's willing; or find a new attorney) vs calling him with a question... or do your own research / look for general legal advice. There are online lawyer services which might be helpful in a general way to respond to owner demands. Not sure how well that would work, depending on what's on the line here.

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where are you getting that he was asking for free help?

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where are you getting that this is his personal lawyer on lifetime retainer?

he hired the guy in 2017 for one simple small job and that job was completed.

now he gets a random message from a guy he worked for 7 years ago wanting free advice

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I've explained to the receptionist that this is a new development every time I call. Not just a "quick question"
situation. I want to pay them. Begging them to take my money.

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my point is, you think your money is worth something to him

he thinks its not worth his time for such little pay.

its not that you arent willing to pay, its that he sees what he can make helping you, and to him, his time is better somewhere else making 20x that or more.

if you want help, find another lawyer, they will get whatever paperwork they need from the first lawyer

you're such an unbelievably shitty poster.

We're between lawyers right now. You see, our first lawyer screwed our affairs so bad. I walked right to that office - that's what I did - and I reached across that desk and I grabbed him by his fat head and I said "Listen, man. I'm not going to jail for YOU or for anybody."

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Absolutely

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This squared.