05 May 2012 2:22 PM:
Hello everyone,
I just thought it would be appropriate for me to answer some of the previous posts and comments that have appeared on this site.
It’s true that when I was a young lawyer, I had advised a client incorrectly regarding a civil litigation case. It is something that I regret terribly. I should have never told them that I won their case but being the youngest partner in a big law firm, I was under intense pressure to perform at the highest level.
As a strong believer in honesty being the best policy, I subsequently admitted to the client I didn’t settle the case in their favour and apologised unreservedly. Although a well experienced criminal lawyer, this particular type of case was way out of my depth and if I am brutally honest, I was naive not to tell the client this from the outset. I felt so strongly about my failings, I contacted the Law Society to confirm the client’s subsequent complaint against me.
During this time, I was under great personal pressure as a sole carer for my Mum who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She lost her battle with cancer shortly after and as you can imagine it had a profound effect on my personal life and professional career. I just wasn’t thinking straight.
I’m not using this as an excuse but more to give you some background to the pressures I was under. I have been punished for not advising the client correctly in this instance – not just financially but professionally as this will always stay with me. It has been one of the biggest lessons of my life and has shaped my transparent approach to doing business.
I have never hidden from this mistake I made. When I started Community Fees in 2009, I have brought this issue up with clients, granted not all of them but when I’ve mentioned it to them, they have appreciated my honesty and transparency.
Community Fees acts for over 300 clients and we have recovered approximately 10.5 million Euros for many community groups stretching from Alicante to Gibraltar. You can see that we have many satisfied clients, which is apparent from some of the recommendations on this thread and you can see more testimonials on my company’s website
www.communityfees.com
I’ve noticed that there is a complaint on here about our service and I will contact ‘Karensun’ directly to discuss that with her. In the meantime, if you have any further concerns or comments, please contact me via the private message facility on this forum.
Thanks for your time.
Stephen Kettlewell
Thread:
Recovery of Community Debts
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