Over and over I have heard and read the complaints that, "My lawyer is working for the other side."
Sorry, there is about a 99% chance that's just BS. You may not want to hear this and you certainly aren't required to agree, but in 20 years of experience all over the United States I never saw a case where lawyers on opposite sides of a case conspired together against one side. They may have some agreements as to evidence, procedures, and shortcuts but the rules of ethic encourage cooperation where possible and, realistically, the cooperation saves both sides time and money.
However, to be perfectly blunt, when you get right down to it a lawyer doesn't really care about your case or at least not as much as you do.
In law school, the students are trained to see both sides and to not get emotionally invested in a case because when they do, they cease being objective and, of even more importance, they cease being effective.
A lawyer has to be able to step back, look at a case without emotion, and make decision that are rational, not emotional. At times decision have to be made that are based on percentages and likelihood. There are some criminal law cases where the prosecution rests their case (which means they have finished putting on their witnesses) and the defense attorney has to make a decision on whether or not to put on any witnesses at all. If they are at that point in a trial they want to put on witnesses and "take over" but sometimes the prosecution has completely failed to prove that the defendant is guilty and, as the old adage goes, "if it can't get any better it can only get worse".
Most lawyers only care about your case to the extent that it is a challenge for them, and they want to win because it is in their competitive nature, but at the end of the day they close their file, aren't likely to think about it again until the next time they have to, and don't really care.
And would you rather have a lawyer that commiserated with you about your loss, or one who congratulated you on your win and then went back to his office to work on the next case?
If you are reading this website then you either already are representing yourself or are considering doing it in the future. If you make that decision then you definitely will be represented by someone who cares more than a "hired gun" but if you are not able to emulate the lawyer and step back from the case, making decisions without emotion, then you can never be successful.
Also, remember that caring about your case isn't anywhere near as helpful as being prepared in your case, so look at the Guerrilla Guides to the Law once you make the decision to move forward and represent yourself.
I truly feel like my attorney doesn’t care about my case at all. I get injured by a someone, but yet I’m the one who’s left with doctor bills and permanent pain. I will never again turn to an attorney to represent me. My opinion, a person is better off settling on their own, and avoiding doctors. In the end you’re left in pain and with medical bills out the wahzoo
Unfortunately, this apparent lack of empathy is due to the way lawyers are trained from the moment they step into law school. It isn’t that they don’t care, it is just that they are taught they have to distance themselves from any emotional attachment to the case in order to do a good job and when this is done repeatedly it becomes habit and they just forget that “their lawsuit” actually has real people involved in it. That’s one reason we write The Guerrilla Guides to the law and, in particular, The Guerrilla Guide to Settling Your Own Car Wreck Case. By the time you calculate lawyer’s fees and the delay that inherently comes with having a lawyer involved some people come out ahead by doing it themselves.