Kramer v. AMERICAN BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, NA, Dist. Court, ND Illinois 2013 – Google Scholar. Magistrate Cole has written an opinion denying a motion to disqualify an attorney for a plaintiff class in a class action. The plaintiffs are represented by Ari Karen. The defendant is the American National…
Chicago Legal Malpractice Lawyer Blog
Indiana Supreme Court Rejects Claim That Lawyer Violated Rule 8.2(a) In A Motion For Change of Judge
The case is captioned In the Matter of Thomas M. Dixon, 71S00-1104-D1-196. The Indiana Supreme Court dismissed all charges against Thomas Dixon, an attorney who represented 85 pro-life protestors in proceedings before Judge Jenny Pitts Manier. Judge Manier is married “to Professor Edward Manier, who was a tenured professor at…
Indiana Supreme Court Disbars Lawyer For Revealing Confidential Information In A Book
The case is captioned In the Matter of Joseph Stork Smith, 29S00-1201-D1-8. The Indiana Supreme Court disbarred an attorney for “revealing confidential information relating to his representation of a former client by publishing the information in a book for personal gain.” The lawyer also allegedly had a sexual relationship with…
Illinois Follows The Actual Innocence Rule for Legal Malpractice Cases
Fink v. SHELDON BANK, Ill: Appellate Court, 1st Dist., 3rd Div. 2013 – Google Scholar. Illinois has long followed the actual innocence rule, which holds that a criminal defendant may not sue his former attorney for legal malpractice unless he can prove that he was actually innocent of the crime.…
Attorney Lien Invalidated Because Lawyers Failed to Serve The Opposing Party
AXA CORPORATE SOLUTIONS ASSURANCE v. HOFF & HERRAN, Dist. Court, ND Illinois 2013 – Google Scholar. The Illinois Attorney Lien Act of 1909 (yes, that is not a typo) provides that an attorney can place al lien on a claim that his client places with him for collection. Liens are…
Second Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Qui Tam Action Because Attorney Violated Rule 1.9
A qui tam case is a case in which a plaintiff, usually a former insider, sues his former employer on behalf of the United States and alleges that the United States was defrauded. The plaintiff is referred to as a “relator.” The relevant statute is the False Claims Act, 31…
Texas Court Holds Plaintiff Needs Expert To Prove Underlying Claim
KELLEY & WITHERSPOON, LLP v. Hooper, Tex: Court of Appeals, 5th Dist. 2013 – Google Scholar. When the claim is that a lawyer breached the duty of care and thereby lost a case, the plaintiff must prove a case within a case, that is, that but for the lawyer’s negligence…
Law Firm’s Effort To Sanction Former Client Falls Flat
Par via Malm v. MOMKUS McCLUSKEY, LLC, Dist. Court, ND Illinois 2013 – Google Scholar. This is a link to an unpublished decision denying a motion for Rule 11 sanctions in a legal malpractice. The client was sued in connection with a business transaction in the Northern District of Georgia.…
District Court Rejects Legal Malpractice Claim Based Upon a Letter of Credit
RAFOOL v. Evans, Dist. Court, CD Illinois 2013 – Google Scholar. This is a legal malpractice case where the plaintiff claimed that the defendant lawyers were negligent in failing to instruct the plaintiff to draw on a letter of credit prior to filing bankruptcy. The court held that there was…
California Court Holds Guardian Ad Litem Immune From Malpractice Suit
McClintock v. West, Cal: Court of Appeal, 4th Appellate Dist., 3rd Div. 2013 – Google Scholar. The Illinois courts have held that a guardian ad litem is immune from a lawsuit from one of the parties. A guardian ad litem is a lawyer appointed by the court in a family…