Last time, we looked briefly at the professional duty attorneys have to safeguard client assets and property. Violations of this duty can be more or less serious, of course, ranging from making minor mistakes in handling funds to outright stealing from clients.As an...
Professional Malpractice Law
What is a lawyer’s duty with regard to safekeeping property and funds?
For consumers of legal services, one of the biggest areas of concern is money. How much will it cost to retain an attorney? Are the fees reasonable? How much money will the attorney take at the end of the case? How do I know that the attorney is taking good care of...
Attorney’s failure to obtain expert report results in large malpractice verdict
In our last post, we looked at the topic of expert witness immunity and the changing tide of opinion regarding the rule of absolute immunity for friendly expert witnesses. As we noted last time, expert witness testimony can be critical in building a strong civil case,...
Immunity for legal malpractice experts: traditional rule could change
Expert witnesses play an important role in professional malpractice cases, particularly in cases involving technical knowledge that is not readily understandable to the average person, whether judge or juror. In legal malpractice cases, an expert witness can be used...
Professional malpractice law and affidavits of merit
If you hired an attorney, and your experience was less than desirable, you might be able to file a claim. Under New Jersey's professional malpractice law, your claim needs to include an affidavit of merit (AOM). Without this document, your case could be dismissed.Back...
How do you know if you have a professional malpractice law claim?
New Jersey residents seek the advice and assistance of attorneys because they have a problem they are unable to resolve for themselves. They rely on their attorneys training and experience to provide them with competent legal representation. Unfortunately, this is not...
New Jersey celebrity to pursue legal malpractice suit over fraudulent bankruptcy filing
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...
How does confidentiality differ from attorney-client privilege? P.2
In our last post, we continued our discussion of confidentiality by looking at how it differs from attorney-client privilege. As we pointed out, confidentiality is an ethics rule and attorney-client privilege is a rule of evidence. The two are separate rules, but they...
How does confidentiality differ from attorney-client privilege?
In previous posts, we’ve been looking at the topic of the duty of confidentiality lawyers owe to their clients. Confidentiality is of central importance in lawyer-client relations, since it makes it possible for clients to feel comfortable with their attorney and...
Looking at the duty of confidentiality under New Jersey rules
In our last post, we began speaking about the duty of confidentiality attorneys owe to their clients. At its core, confidentiality is about lawyers protecting the privacy of their clients. Under the New Jersey Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, lawyers are...