Legal Malpractice Services

Including Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Attorney Negligence

In recent years, the number of lawyers across the country has grown tremendously. As the sophistication of practice in various specialty areas has become more prevalent, the opportunity for an attorney to commit malpractice has increased.

If you believe you may have a legal malpractice case, contact the law offices of Richard A. Klass, Esq. by phone or e-mail.

  1. The client can prove that the lawyer committed malpractice, negligence, breach of contract, or breach of fiduciary duty; and
  2. That “but for” the malpractice, negligence or breach of contract/duty of the lawyer, the client would have prevailed in the underlying litigation or transaction.

Basically, the client must show that the lawyer caused the client’s damages.

Negligence

Similar to a medical malpractice case, the attorney’s conduct is judged as to whether it met the “ opens in a new windowstandard of care ” expected of other attorneys in the area, or whether that conduct deviated from the norm.

Breach of contract

When an attorney is retained by a client, there are implicit and explicit agreements as to the scope of the work to be performed, the manner in which it is to be done, and obligations of the parties. Generally, there will be a retainer agreement setting forth all of the obligations of the parties. Breach of the contract for legal representation may be proved to have occurred.

Fraud

Fraud involves the intentional misrepresentation of material facts which adversely affects the client.

Theft

Conversion of moneys or property of a client may take a few forms. For instance, a lawyer may overbill for services not performed, or retain funds from a settlement that do not belong to the attorney.

Breach of fiduciary duty

Sometimes, the attorney will be acting in a fiduciary capacity, such as by power-of-attorney, and has certain responsibilities of ensuring that the attorney puts the client’s interests ahead of all others.

LawCurrents, Our Newsletter

False Hopes, more dangerous than fears: default, action and modification of a Promissory Note

woman with glasses, wearing pink and blue, eyes closed, illustrating article about default under the terms of a Promissory Note.

A friend made a $200,000 personal loan (“Lender”) to one of his friends (“Borrower). At the time the loan was made in 2016, the Borrower signed a promissory note in favor of his Lender friend, promising to repay the loan within ten months with interest. According to the terms of the Promissory Note, if the Borrower failed to repay the principal and interest in full by its due date at the end of 2016, any accrued interest would thereafter be calculated at the default rate of twenty percent per annum. In addition, the Promissory Note stated that “[n]o term of [the Promissory Note] may be waived, modified or amended except by instrument in writing signed by both of the parties.”…

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