Legal Malpractice

Representing Victims of Legal Malpractice

Every attorney practicing in a state is expected to provide services that meet a standard of professional conduct. Our entire community suffers when a lawyer violates those rules of professional conduct, harming the client as a result, an act constituting legal malpractice. Attorneys at Merovitz, Cedar & Gruber, LLC, (MCG Legal), with offices in Mount Laurel and Philadelphia, handle claims in New Jersey and Pennsylvania on behalf of those who have suffered such losses.

Elements of a legal malpractice case

In order to pursue a claim for legal malpractice successfully, it is necessary to prove that an attorney-client relationship existed, that the attorney was negligent, that the client suffered a loss as a result of that negligence, and the value of that loss. An error in judgment made in good faith does not constitute malpractice.

Types of legal malpractice

Our firm sues lawyers who rules of professional conduct outlining the attorneys' duties to their clients. These duties include communication, candor, competence, diligence, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, expediting litigation, and honesty in dealing with the court. The most common legal malpractice complaints fall into two groups. In the first are complaints that attorneys failed to file documents or perform other tasks within necessary time limits. In the second group are complaints that clients suffered losses because their lawyers were not equipped to take that type of case. The most common areas of law where claims of legal malpractice are made are personal injury and real estate.* Issues involved may include:

• Failure of a lawyer to file motions or claims within time limits
• Failing to reveal to a client that the attorney has not handled that type of case before
• Unreasonable billing practices, double billing, padding bills
• Misappropriation or theft of funds held in trust by an attorney
• Failure to communicate important information to a client
• Accepting a client despite a conflict of interest

Since strict statutes of limitations apply, if you are considering a legal malpractice lawsuit, it is important to consult with an attorney as soon as possible. If you would like to speak with a member of MCG Legal about a claim, please contact our Mount Laurel office to arrange a free and confidential consultation. We represent clients throughout New Jersey and in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area. In most cases our services are contingency-based, meaning our client pays no attorney fees unless we recover damages on the client's behalf.

* http://www.consumerlaw.com/legalmal.html#significant