California Says I Must Litigate Like a Lawyer. Why Doesn’t My Time Count Like One?

California Says I Must Litigate Like a Lawyer. Why Doesn’t My Time Count Like One?

I never intended to advocate for reform of California’s civil justice system. I became one after my attorney and I parted ways over what he described in two words: “communication breakdown.” I tried to retain replacement counsel. Responses ranged from conflicts of interest to “I’m not taking new cases,” but none agreed. I cannot establish a broader pattern, yet my experience suggests that ongoing cases can be extraordinarily difficult to place a…