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"He's advised us (improperly) that we're going to lose unless he recieves much larger fees than previously agreed upon (also improperly--simple case) and that he might take months to file, causing us to lose. "

You need a new attorney.

"You need a new attorney."

There's a communication gap. I live in a rural, frugal environment that includes much hard work at home. The climate is brutally cold and windy (workclothes only). There was an obvious assumption that we're trash, though we're spotlessly clean, history-wise (prior service for both me and my wife). There's more that would involve other, usually unnecessary fees to other "professionals" (e.g., CPAs who never did the taxes properly because of their laziness, other fees).

Already been there and done that in the past in other civil matters. Fees would be lost to each one after the "free" initial consultations (the period when one reviews the paperwork sent by the attorney and sees the fees and losses ahead).

Eventually, a family can be overwhelmed with the demands for numerous high fees and threats to terrorize for more fees.

IMO, in certain civil matters (divorce, bankruptcy, etc.), learn to pro se, unless you're a qualified member of the policital/regulator class (loaded with cash to burn or throw at the professional/political/regulator class).

Learn rules/procedures, statutes and cases. When they attack to steal your property, pro se. File, and file again. Do so, until you wear them out. Regardless of what happens with the case at hand, that's what I'm going to do. They don't like years and years of "BS?" Well, we don't like receiving it either.

I’ll probably back out from the attorney relationship in the morning and begin work to file myself, BTW. Lesson learned. I can do it faster. although methods of entering some of the needed information are trade secrets (one involving currency exchange). There will be unreturned fees, which will go on one of the filing forms (mandatory). And the local judge in a related case will be told the truth: that our answer there to stall was advised by the attorney in question.

Let them gossip and attack in retaliation, if they like. Time will be on my side in the years to come, and I’ll never move from the state. We’re living on a tiny pension, the smallness of which would horrify “professionals” and don’t have enough for them, too. But there’s plenty of time for us to learn something new.

[The volunteer work for pro se education was in another kind of civil case in another state, thus, the need for the new learning experience.]