One of the central tasks and duties of an attorney is to help people to navigate the law and the court system. Because most people are unsophisticated in such matters, most people rely on legal counsel to act as guide and advocate.
When a lawyer drops the ball in handling a legal matter, the client’s rights and interests can be significantly impacted. In such cases, pursuing the attorney for legal malpractice can allow a client to obtain appropriate remedies. It isn’t uncommon, of course, to see legal malpractice litigation among celebrities in the news.
A recent example is the case of Teresa Giudice, a celebrity from Real Housewives of New Jersey. Giudice has been going through major financial and legal issues, and filed for bankruptcy in 2009 along with her husband. The couple ended up firing their first bankruptcy attorney after it was discovered that they hid assets and income and they were forced to withdraw their bankruptcy filing. Giudice subsequently pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud and other fraud charges and served time in federal prison for the offense.
Recently, Giudice filed a legal malpractice lawsuit against bankruptcy attorney, claiming the fraud was due to his mishandling of the case. Giudice had her bankruptcy case reopened earlier this year, and under a settlement reached with creditors in the case, she will be able to keep 55 percent of any damages she wins in the legal malpractice suit.
The attorney, for his part, denies the allegation, though this is not surprising. The question would be whether the attorney knew about the assets and income Giudice hid and the advice he gave them in that regard. In sorting out such matters and seeking justice, it is critical to work with an experienced legal malpractice attorney.
