19 BK 09525
A chapter 13 debtor filed a motion to substitute attorney and informed the court that his lawyer(s) of record from the Semrad Law Firm did not return his calls after he sought their help with a mortgage issue, causing him to secure other counsel.  The court entered an Order setting a hearing on a Rule to Show Cause directed to the Debtor’s former lawyers, Louis Raymond Gomes, Elizabeth Placek, and Patrick Semrad to show cause why they should not be held to have violated their flat fee agreement with the Debtor, which required them to represent the Debtor until the case closed.  Attorney Patrick Semrad testified that the Debtor called the firm, but did not explain why the Debtor did not receive the services expected, arguing instead that he just wanted to change attorneys.  The court sanctioned Debtor’s former lawyers for violating the applicable rules of professional conduct. The attorneys, jointly and severally, were ordered to return $2,000 to the Debtor.