Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Hannover Court Orders Client to Pay Lawyer Despite Inappropriate Messages

The ruling separates concerns about professional conduct from a lawyer’s entitlement to fees for work already performed.

Overview

  • The Amtsgericht Hannover ordered the 35-year-old to pay €1,052.18 to her former lawyer after a fee dispute tied to a traffic-accident case.
  • The judge said the WhatsApp remarks had no place in an attorney‑client relationship and found the client’s immediate termination justified.
  • One fee claim tied to a separate administrative fine case was deemed moot because the woman had engaged another lawyer for that matter.
  • The court left the civil fee in place because it was unclear whether new counsel had taken over that claim, preserving the plaintiff’s entitlement.
  • The woman is considering an appeal within the two-week statutory period, while the 57-year-old lawyer maintains his messages were friendly and nonsexual.