"I have one unhappy client right now," he said.
One unhappy client after another might sue Alliance, demand a financial settlement or simply walk away, they said.
Still, it's common knowledge within the real estate industry that an agency will normally release a truly unhappy client without penalty.
Tishman's potpourri of assignments has also opened it to squabbles with unhappy clients.
Thousands of complaints are brought against lawyers each year - mainly by unhappy clients - but relatively few result in lawyers being punished.
John Waite meets the owner of a Dubai property company and some of his unhappy clients.
In recent polls not only are clients unhappy with lawyers as a group, but also many have had an unsatisfactory experience with their own lawyer.
I can't begin to estimate how many times I was asked that question by unhappy clients whose spouses had truly done them wrong.
Meanwhile, in current Charles Schwab television commercials, unhappy clients who aren't wealthy whine that their financial advisers don't respect them enough.
A daring choice can result in an unhappy client.