Question: What is the best way to fire an attorney and recoup fees?
If you are unhappy with your attorney and cannot resolve the problem by talking, fire her. That is the first step.What you do is you contact her in writing and inform her that you no longer require her services. Request your file, find a better attorney, and move forward.
If you paid a retainer and she has not yet earned it in its entirety, you should be able to get that portion of your retainer back.
As far as getting your money back, that will depend on a combination of things, including your fee agreement. If you feel she has given you very little value, but some value, I recommend you explain to her that you are unhappy with her work and do not feel she is entitled to her full fee. Then you should tell her what you feel she is entitled to, and ask for the remainder back.
If you are unable to resolve the issue to your satisfaction, most states have a way to dispute fees. They essentially listen to both sides of the story and make a ruling. You need to look and see if such a thing exists in your state.
Good luck.