Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Ohio

This will depend on what the agreement was between the attorney and your mother. Was it in writing? Was it hourly? A flat fee? A contingency agreement (the attorney takes a certain percentage)? What was the $35 fee for?

It could be right for the attorney to take 80% if he or she performed work substantiating that fee, and if that fee is reasonable. You need to find out what the attorney did, the work involved, the time involved, etc. You can speak with another attorney who does similar work to determine if the fee was reasonable. If your mother wants to dispute the fee, she should immediately say so and the attorney should hold the disputed amount in the trust account until the matter is resolved. You need to contact an attorney in your area who handles similar cases or legal malpractice in order to determine if this is worth your time. Most malpractice attorneys will not take a case if the damages are only $2,000 - it could cost them and you more to chase the $2,000. See if you can resolve the issue with the attorney.