#33
Complaints & RecourseHigh Risk
The lawyer urges you to accept a clearly unreasonable settlement
Suspicious Settlement
Why It's Dangerous
If a lawyer pushes you hard to accept a settlement far below reasonable expectations, and does so urgently, this may not be professional advice — the lawyer may have reached an understanding with the other side, or may just want to close the case quickly and collect their fee.
Real Case
A client's claim was for RMB 1,000,000 with strong evidence. The lawyer kept urging them to accept the opponent's RMB 200,000 settlement offer, arguing 'getting something in hand is what matters.' The client refused, switched lawyers, and ultimately won a judgment for RMB 800,000.
* This case has been anonymized. Details have been adjusted to protect privacy.
What To Do
1
Don't accept a settlement hastily under pressure2
Ask the lawyer to provide a written opinion explaining the legal basis for recommending the settlement3
Compare the settlement amount against your actual claim and the strength of your evidence4
Get an independent assessment from a second lawyer