Legal Malpractice

Liability of Subsequent Attorneys in Legal Malpractice

By (Andrew Lavoott Bluestone)

Macaluso v Pollack , 2010 NYSlipOp 30276(U) , Justice Diamond, Nassau County presents an interesting story of how a case can get dismissed. Beyond the storyline, the case presents analysis of liability of predecessor/subsequent attorneys, how the dissolution of a partnership affects legal malpractice litigation, what subsequent attorneys  can accomplish in the Second Circuit, and potential liability of associate attorneys.

The original attorneys were to represent plaintiff in an employment discrimination case, but negligently failed to follow court orders in US District Court.  Eventually, the case was dismissed by the US District Judge, on one particular day in which the attorneys did not appear for a conference.  This was apparently the last straw, as there had been many previous late filings, etc.  So case is dismissed.  Attorneys for plaintiff at that point were a partnership of two attorneys.  These attorneys then file an appeal to the Second Circuit, but leave out several essential filings which dooms the appeal.

Plaintiff hires set two of attorneys, who try to fix the appeal, but fail.  The appeal is dismissed by the Second Circuit. This firm consists of attorneys and an associate attorney who are sued.  Who is at fault?

Read the decision for the full analysis, which cannot be excerpted here. In the end, first attorneys remain in the case, second attorneys are out, and the associate is out, too.

Full post as published by New York Attorney Malpractice Blog on February 10, 2010 (boomark / email).