Changing Counsel Requires an Auditable Transition, Not a Sudden Gap
A Detroit client can often change lawyers during a case, but the result depends on the current agreement, case posture, court requirements, successor counsel's acceptance, and possible fee, expense, or lien issues. Plan the transition so representation, deadlines, evidence custody, confidential information, and decision authority are never assumed.
Define the Problem and Build a Current Status Sheet
Describe the concern in concrete terms: unanswered communication, strategic disagreement, loss of trust, staffing, delay, cost, or conflicting objectives. Review termination, withdrawal, dispute, expense, file, and proceeds-related clauses. A status conference may resolve a misunderstanding, but the client should still understand available options.
List all deadlines, claim and policy numbers, court and service status, discovery duties, scheduled events, offers, medical changes, liens, expert work, preserved evidence, expenses, and promised follow-up. A personal injury lawyer considering the matter needs accurate urgency and posture information before deciding whether to accept it.
Secure Successor Acceptance and Transfer the Complete File
A preliminary conversation with an accident lawyer does not itself create representation. Complete conflict screening, define scope, and confirm any new engagement in the required form. Coordinate notice to prior counsel, insurers, parties, and the court, including substitution or approval where applicable.
Inventory pleadings, discovery, correspondence, medical and wage records, policies, video, photographs, physical evidence, experts, offers, calendars, original property, digital repositories, client money, and itemized expenses. Record what was requested, sent, withheld, or missing, and name the date and person responsible for follow-up.
Reconcile Duties, Money, and Authority After Handoff
Ask prior and successor counsel to explain in writing how work performed, advanced expenses, client funds, and any asserted fee or lien will be handled. Do not assume that changing firms has no cost or necessarily creates duplicate charges. The agreements, governing law, completed work, expense history, and eventual resolution matter.
At the first new status meeting, verify who represents the client, who received notice, whether every deadline was independently calendared, whether the full file arrived, which decisions are pending, and when the next update will occur. Continue meeting duties while any fee or file dispute is addressed. Compare the former and successor calendars event by event, then document who owns every near-term filing, response, examination, and evidence-preservation task. Preserve the reconciliation notes securely. At S&S Law, we help Detroit clients with changes in counsel.