An attorney's obligation to a client does not end when the attorney decides the representation is inconvenient. Rule 1.16 of the Rules of Professional Conduct governs the withdrawal of representation and imposes strict requirements: adequate notice, return of client files, refund of unearned fees, and steps to protect the client's interests during the transition. Yet attorneys abandon clients routinely — sometimes without notice, often without returning files, and frequently in the middle of proceedings where the client cannot afford to hire new counsel. Client abandonment is particularly devastating in criminal cases, where deadlines and appearances cannot wait, and in immigration matters, where a missed filing can mean deportation. This topic covers abandonment cases across the country and the discipline that too often comes too late.