My client came into the office 2 days in a row, wearing the same filthy, very smelly clothes, had dirt everywhere, scalp, nails, ears. He looks like he is physically weak, slow, but mobile and drove to my office. He has a daughter about an hour away who I do not know, nor do I have her phone number. What can I do, if anything?
If for some other reason, I think you still could ask him about the closest relatives, as it may at some time or other affect your ability to contact him w/I the scope of the work you're doing.
On another level, assuming you have contact information for him, you could call APS to do a welfare check.
However, I would absolutely, definitely make the attorneys in the office aware of the situation before doing anything so there's no issue of breach of "privileged" information.
Some law firms for which I've worked provide a lot of leeway to paralegals; others monitor them very closely. Make sure the attorneys are on board before you contact anyone outside the firm. And the man really is a client of the firm anyway.
(I'm assuming that the state bar in your state still requires attorney supervision over a paralegal's actions.)
I think wanting to get help for him is very thoughtful and considerate.
Anyway, that's what I'd do.
There can be many reasons for the client to be in this state and someone needs to look into matters.
CM made a good point - any call should be "generic" w/o providing any specific name. I erred in suggesting that APS be called, although I'm not really sure that a call to a government agency on the issue of adult welfare and/or protective services would fall in the same category as releasing privileged information, since this was observational, and not something that was shared in confidentiality. And some specific governmental agencies exist for the exact purpose of intervention in welfare of adults or children.
However, calls to nongovernmental agencies, such as churches or a geriatric care manager, would I think be a breach of privilege.
That's not a criticism of any suggestions; they're all good. But attorneys and all their staff are bound by confidentiality, similar to the role of priests and probably rabbis and other religious leaders.
First, paralegals do NOT have clients; the firm and attorneys do, but paralegals do not.
Second, I would have immediately gone to the supervising attorney and shared my concerns if a similar situation had occurred when I was working.
Third, I would NEVER post online about a client. That just is NOT acceptable, even though no names are mentioned.
So I'm wondering about this whole situation now. We'll see if the OP returns; if not....well, draw your own conclusions.
Digital Banker, I know you're trying to be helpful, but just to clarify, hiring a PI to investigate a client's needs would not be very likely to occur in an law firm.
First, there's the issue of who would pay for the PI. The client probably does not have much money, and he would have to authorize the expenditure first if he had provided a retainer. And unless that was discussed, the firm would be in breach of its retainer agreement to spend funds on work that wasn't authorized either through discussion or stated in the retainer agreement.
Second, a firm would generally not expend funds for a PI without expectation of reimbursement.
DB, your concern and your heart are in the right place, but I don't know of any law firm that would hire a PI to investigate a client's personal situation, unless there were fraud involved and the firm was leary of becoming dragged into an unsavory situation.
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