Hey everyone, I need some advice. I started working on a WordPress site for a client back in January 2024 on an hourly basis and put in about six months of work. However, I eventually lost contact with her due to her personal issues. Fast forward to February 2025, she reached out asking me to finish the site—for free. I regretfully agreed to help when I could, but there are still some significant bugs left, and with my personal schedule being busier now, I just can't dedicate any time to it anymore. I sent her a professional email explaining my situation and suggested another developer she could contact. After that, she got angry and texted me multiple times, which I ignored. Now, she's sent me a message threatening to involve her lawyer. I'm feeling really lost—should I get a lawyer involved now?
4 Answers
Honestly, I think this is mostly an empty threat. She hasn't really paid you to finish the site, and based on your arrangement, she might have a hard time proving any damages. If she claims you promised to finish the site for free, that could complicate things, but I'm not so sure that's enough for a lawsuit. Just stop all direct communication and wait for her lawyer to reach out.
Look, it's likely she's trying to scare you. Without a contract, she has no guarantees. Consider that most professionals don't just threaten legal action without a clear basis. If she does get serious and file something, that's when you should step up and get your own legal advice.
Totally agree! It sounds more like frustration talking than an actual legal grounding.
It really depends on whether you had any formal agreement. Since you didn’t have a contract, it's likely that she doesn’t have a strong case. Usually, clients who threaten lawsuits are just trying to bully you into complying with their demands. If you communicated clearly about the issues and your inability to work on her project anymore, you probably have a decent defense. But honestly, it might be wise to consult a lawyer just to protect yourself.
Yeah, and even if you find it overwhelming, just having a lawyer review the situation can give you peace of mind. Better safe than sorry!
In cases like this, it’s always best to get your own lawyer if she’s threatening legal action. It might seem costly, but it can save you lots of trouble later on. No contract means less risk for you, but still, any correspondence should ideally go through a lawyer now. Better to keep it professional and avoid any miscommunication.
Right! And don’t respond to her anymore unless it’s through your lawyer. It could just stir up more trouble.
Exactly! If she does escalate things legally, that’s when you should definitely consider hiring a lawyer.