Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino -- Jersey Shorts Lawyer for $29K ... Lawyer Sues

The Situation is in the worst kind of legal trouble -- the kind where his lawyer can't help, because his lawyer is the one who's suing him ... for 4 years of unpaid legal bills.

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and his brother Marc Sorrentino owe long-time attorney Richard Wolfe $29,000 in legal fees from 2009-13 ... according to the lawsuit filed by Wolfe, and obtained by TMZ.

In the suit, Wolfe says the bros did knock $10,000 of their tab -- but also made failed attempts to pay ... including a cancelled $2,000 check, and a bounced $2,000 check.

He now wants damages for the bad checks, on top of the $29K.

As we first told you ... Mike's tanning salon employees accused him of bouncing their paychecks last month, and he got arrested for fighting his other brother.

So, yeah ... paying legal bills would be beneficial for this guy.