Plaintiff hires law firm to handle labor law case, Defendant is then hired to handle the appeal from dismissal of the case.  The appeal was dismissed for want of prosecution in 2006.  The law firm did not tell the client, and in 2008 wrote a letter telling him that the judgment was affirmed.  The legal…

In a professional malpractice case, be it legal malpractice or accounting malpractice, plaintiff must be able to show proximate cause.  Might a firm be liable for damages based upon issues that arose before its retention?  It might be, but in Cannonball Fund, Ltd. v Marcum & Kliegman, LLP
2013 NY Slip Op 32891(U)  November 14…

We believe that legal malpractice cases are more harshly reviewed, and held up to a higher standard, almost always in the "but for" portion of the case.  Engelke v Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP   2013 NY Slip Op 07419   Decided on November 12, 2013   Appellate Division, First Department is no exception.  Plaintiff can demonstrate…

We’ve always thought that a retainer agreement between an attorney and a client had some meaning, real meaning.  Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady, LLP v Rose   2013 NY Slip Op 07428 Decided on November 12, 2013  Appellate Division, First Department  disabuses us of that notion, and has two other interesting things about it.  It’s…

People question whether "they" like us?  Do "they" treat us fairly?  We wonder whether legal malpractice is treated differently than all other law suits? Fielding v Kupferman, 2013 NY Slip Op 02008 Appellate Division, First Department raises the question once again. Compare this case to a garden or varietal slip and fall. Example: plaintiff trips…

This legal malpractice case started around 1991.  It’s been up to the AD 4th Department, back down to Supreme Court and now is back at the AD.  Here is their recitation.  We love the attorney masquerading as a doctor and a Vet reviewing human medical records. From:  Dischiavi v Calli
2013 NY Slip Op 07289  …

Case is marked "disposed."  This can happen when there is a failure to appear in court, when a motion goes unanswered, or when some other event transpires and the court routinely "disposes" of a case administratively.  It can also happen after a contested motion is decided.  How Plaintiff’s case was disposed of in Champlin v …

Client has lost millions and goes to attorney.  Attorney arranges for a private investigator to work on the case.  So far so good?  The investigator’s contract called for payment of $ 350,000 plus 25% on success in locating assets.  Clients thought this too much.  Can a complaint for fraud adequately be stated on these facts?…