Last week we reported on a Maryland decision which said that guardian ad litem attorneys did not have immunity.[Details] The Maryland legislature is responding to that decision. Read about it.

Here is a story of a big law firm which represented both the bank and the borrower in a mid-level commerical setting. Defendant law firm says that everyone in the deal knew; borrower says a personal guaranty was slipped in a huge real estate closing package in a single line or two within the papers. Details This case brings to mind an earlier article on Torys law firm, a $ 30.25 million settlement and Hollinger International from 12/9/05. See that article

See if you can make any sense of this case. It involves race horses, and as everyone knows, the last furlong is the most important. Here, it appears that the frontrunner grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory. Take a look, and think Meadowlands.

“No Hire” v. “No Solicitation” in the hairdressing world really makes a difference. Plaintiff hires a star hairdresser, and has its attorney prepare an employment agreement. Plaintiff wants it to protect the “Make Up Bar”, and expects a “No Hire” agreement which would give blanket protection against the star hiring its employees at his future new shop. Instead it gets a “No Solicitation” agreement. Star leaves, 4 other hairdressers leave with him, and the Hair Bar loses its case when all of the hairdressers swear that there was a hiring, but no solicitation of them. Defendant star says that he would never have signed a “no hire” which would have kept him from hiring the others under any circumstances. Here, lower court dismisses legal malpractice complaint and appellate court reverses. Details.

Here are the biggest verdicts of the year in Michigan, as reported by the Jackson Citizen Patriot. The article reports an $11.9 million settlement in a Wayne County Whistleblower and legal malpractice action.

In New York, attorneys who are appointed by the court, including receivers, referees, guardians ad litem and others, may not be sued for legal malpractice, or in some cases, may not be sued at all without prior express court approval of the law suit. Recent cases have required the Attorney General to defend them when the law suit is permitted.

In Maryland, legislative changes are being proposed. Details.

Everybody was hurt in this tragic legal malpractice and bankruptcy case. A child is killed, her brother was driving, the parents don’t want to sue their son in the car accident, father’s job closes its business, parents file bankruptcy, trustee starts car negligence action, bankruptcy discharged, case settles, money goes to parents rather than trustee, and everyone ends up getting sued. Attorney is in the case for legal malpractice. Details.

Take a look at today’s NYLJ for this author’s discussion of Legal Malpractice, Client termination of its attorney, and the after-effects.