Helping Victims Of Legal Malpractice And Attorney Misconduct
When you hire an attorney to represent you during important legal proceedings, you trust your lawyer to handle your case with a high degree of attention and care. Unfortunately, attorneys can make mistakes that have serious consequences for their clients.
In Maryland and surrounding areas, legal malpractice is becoming all too common. At Engel Law Group, P.C., we have represented clients effectively and ethically since 1950. This includes holding our colleagues to the same standards by which we hold ourselves.
We dedicate a portion of our practice to helping those who have been victims of professional malpractice. Our attorneys will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve.
What Exactly Is Legal Malpractice?
An attorney has a legal and moral duty to perform according to accepted standards in the legal profession. Legal malpractice occurs when a lawyer fails to uphold professional standards of diligence, competence or ethics, and you are harmed as a result. Examples of legal malpractice include:
- Missing a critical deadline such as a filing deadline or statute of limitations
- Accepting a settlement on your behalf without your permission
- Failing to conduct adequate legal research
- Failing to gather and prepare sufficient evidence
- Making a critical legal error
- Mishandling client funds
- Failing to disclose or recuse themselves due to conflicts of interest
Malpractice cases involving strategic decisions can be harder to prove since lawyers are allowed to exercise their professional judgment.
A Bad Result Is Not Malpractice
It is important to note that you do not have a claim for legal malpractice simply because your legal matter was not resolved in a way that is favorable to you. It is called the practice of law because no outcome is guaranteed, and even the best lawyer may not be able to get you the result you feel you deserve.
However, you do have the right to competent legal representation. If an attorney is negligent in his or her representation of you, you may be able to recover the money you lost because of that attorney’s negligence.
How To Prove Your Case
Legal malpractice cases are highly complicated. Proving your case requires establishing that:
- You and the lawyer had an attorney-client relationship
- The lawyer failed to uphold a professional standard of care
- You suffered losses as a result
Proving losses can be complicated. For example, if you missed out on an opportunity to pursue a personal injury claim because your lawyer missed the filing deadline (statute of limitations), you will have to prove that you likely would have won the personal injury case, and you’ll have to prove what amount of damages you likely could have recovered. This often amounts to proving a “case within a case.”
Our lawyers understand how to undertake these challenging requirements. We have the experience, tools and resources to build a strong case for you.
Get A Free Consultation To Discuss Your Legal Malpractice Case
In any legal matter, practical experience plays a vital role in outstanding representation. Our lawyers each have over 30 years of experience representing clients in a variety of legal matters, including representing clients in lawsuits against their former attorneys.
To discuss whether you may have legal options against a former attorney, call us at our Baltimore, Maryland, office at 410-449-2928. We provide free initial consultations.
