The Vermont Professional Responsibility Board has ordered that an attorney receive a public reprimand for violating multiple Vermont Rules of Professional Conduct. In the matter of John Burke, the estate of a deceased Ohio man hired a Vermont attorney to assist in transferring property in Vermont owned by the decedent to his son. Continue reading
Smith v. DeZao, No. 2:13-cv-72: New Jersey Federal Judge Allows Attorney Accused of Malpractice to Conduct Additional Discovery Regarding Underlying Case
A Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey has held that an attorney defending a legal malpractice suit, is not limited to the discovery previously conducted in an underlying action. In Smith v. DeZao, a family hired an attorney to represent them in a wrongful death suit against a New Jersey timeshare company, which booked a vacation for the family at a resort in Mexico. Continue reading
Minnick v. Ennis, No. 41663: Supreme Court of Idaho Remands Dismissal of Legal Malpractice Case
The Supreme Court of Idaho has reversed the dismissal of a legal malpractice action on the basis that the case was not time-barred under the applicable statute of limitations. In Minnick v. Ennis, a husband and wife owned a large tract of land in Idaho, which they intended to develop into a residential subdivision. They hired an attorney to assist them with the project. Continue reading
People v. Samuel Reyes Escamilla, No. 14PDJ047: Colorado Attorney Suspended Following Violations of Professional Rules of Conduct
The Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, located in Denver, has suspended a Colorado attorney from practicing law, following an investigation by the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel (“ARC”). In People v. Samuel Reyes Escamilla, an attorney was disciplined as a result of his conduct in three separate client matters. Continue reading
In the Matter of Hawver, No. 111,425: Kansas Lawyer Disbarred for Inexplicable Incompetence
The Supreme Court of Kansas has disbarred an attorney for his conduct as defense counsel in a capital murder case. In the Matter of Hawver, a Kansas attorney represented a criminal defendant accused of murder, despite having no prior experience trying capital murder cases. He also did not associate with competent co-counsel, or obtain additional training or education to become competent.
Mizuno v. Nunberg, No. 2013-06709: New York Appellate Court Affirms Dismissal of Legal Malpractice Suit
The New York Appellate Division has affirmed a judgment dismissing a legal malpractice claim against a New York attorney and his law firm. In Mizuno v. Nunberg, a client hired an attorney to represent him in bankruptcy proceedings, after a bank foreclosed on the client’s property. The client was unable to stop the foreclosure, and then filed a legal malpractice action against the attorney. He was successful in that action and recovered the value he lost as a result of the foreclosure sale.
Torres v. Blankenship, No. E057465: California Appellate Court Dismisses Legal Malpractice Case on Statute of Limitations Grounds
California’s Fourth District Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s dismissal of a legal malpractice action on the basis that it was barred by the applicable statute of limitations. In Torres v. Blankenship, a client hired an attorney to represent her in various legal proceedings over a two year period. Unbeknownst to the client, the attorney had been under investigation by the State Bar of California, and was suspended from practicing law for the final two months of his representation. The attorney subsequently informed the client of his suspension and she terminated his services.
Issue: My lawyer told me he would not represent me in my car accident case unless I paid for all of the expenses, which he said he would pay up front and deduct from the settlement. Can he do this?
Insight: The short answer is yes. As a party to a lawsuit, you are responsible for paying the costs of litigation. These expenses include court filing fees, medical record copying costs, deposition transcript fees, and expert witness fees.
As your attorney suggested, these costs are typically advanced by lawyer. Upon successful resolution of the case, he will then deduct this amount along with his fee, and pay the balance to you.
In re Donna J. Tonderum, No. S-13-083: Attorney Indefinitely Suspended for Revealing Confidential Client Information
The Supreme Court of Nebraska has suspended an attorney for an indefinite term after finding that she disclosed confidential information about a client. In re Donna J. Tonderum, a Nebraska attorney informed a prosecutor that she believed one of her former clients was guilty of a crime.
In re Charles Tanner Phillips, II, No. 14-B-0714: Louisiana Lawyer Disbarred for Keeping Unearned Attorney’s Fees
The Supreme Court of Louisiana has disbarred an attorney after finding that he failed to refund unearned attorney’s fees to 26 clients. In re Charles Tanner Phillips, II, a Louisiana attorney accepted and kept attorney’s fees from multiple clients, but did not perform any substantive legal work in return.