We often wonder whether legal malpractice cases are treated with a type of royal exasperation by judges. Often the feeling in the air is that legal malpractice cases maybe should not be brought, or that it’s somewhat shameful to bring one, or that perhaps attorneys are due a little extra consideration. We wonder if that’s…

In New York City condominiums are a rich source of litigation. At the ownership level, one sees litigation over the buying and selling; at a personal injury level, one sees slips and falls. In the construction of the buildings, negligence and indemnification between general contractors and subs is an ongoing field of law. Here, in…

While we understand the principal, it is nevertheless shocking to read a case in which the defendant attorney admits that they blew the statute of limitations, but argue that plaintiff had no case anyway.  It just seems wrong, somehow. 

In Hagensen v Ferro, Kuba, Mangano, Skylar, Gacovino & Lake, P.C. 2013 NY Slip Op 04980
Decided…

The interplay of bankruptcy and personal injury or legal malpractice cases is complicated. Basically, once one files a Chapter 7 petition, all assets, including the penny in petitioner’s pocket becomes part of the Bankruptcy estate. That estate includes any personal injury claims, and even any future legal malpractice claims. If they are listed in the…

Some years ago the Legislature overruled the Court of Appeals, and passed CPLR 214(6). That statute was interpreted to say that all claims against an attorney (some other professionals) were subject to a 3 year statute, whether the claim was made in negligence or contract.

Here, in Walter v Castrataro 2012 NY Slip Op 02676…

Client trips and falls because of a defect in a parking lot. Client goes to attorney who fails to commence the case within the statute of limitations. Client sues attorney who comes up with very inventive defenses. What happens to the case on summary judgment?

inDuque v Perez 2012 NY Slip Op 03593, Appellate…

Insurers tell insureds that legal fee cases are the surest way of starting a legal malpractice case. In Blank Rome, LLP v Parrish ;2012 NY Slip Op 00820 ;Decided on February 7, 2012 ;Appellate Division, First Department we see how this develops.

"Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Jeffrey K. Oing, J.), entered on or…

The principal of account stated, "an agreement between parties to an account based upon prior transactions between them with respect to the correctness of the account items and the balance due. By retaining billing statements and failing to object to the account within a reasonable time,  the recipient of the bill implies that he or…