Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Legal Malpractice Blogs -> New York Attorney Malpractice Blog

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Legal Malpractice

: New York Attorney Malpractice Blog

Another Unusual Legal Malpractice Case and Comparative Negligence

By (Andrew Lavoott Bluestone)

ADVERTISEMENTS

Nate Raymond of the NYLJ reports a second unusual legal malpractice case, this time with an attorney as the plaintiff. He sues over a case concerning his former law office and whether he was due money in the wake of its breakup. "Partnership law expert Leslie Corwin is being sued by an attorney he represented who claims Mr. Corwin mishandled an arbitration with the attorney's former firm. The case seems to revolve around the failure of either plaintiff or defendant to list an expert witness for use in the arbitration. Because he was listed as a witness, but not an expert witness, his testimony on valuation was precluded.

Unanswered, but discussed in the case is why plaintiff did not take advantage of the right to offer documentary evidence on valuation. Is that comparative negligence?

Allen Roberts, a partner at Epstein Becker & Green, sued Mr. Corwin and his firm, Greenberg Traurig, in October, claiming they were negligent in failing to prove liability against Mr. Roberts' former partners at New York employment boutique Roberts & Finger. Mr. Roberts is seeking more than $6.6 million in damages (See the Complaint).

Mr. Corwin, in an answer filed earlier this month, acknowledged Mr. Roberts lost the dispute but said the fault lies with Mr. Roberts, who, as an experienced lawyer, acted as co-counsel in his own case. Mr. Roberts "failed to heed advice" from Mr. Corwin, the answer claims, and caused the alleged damages himself. Greenberg also said Mr. Roberts owes the firm more than $141,000 in legal fees."

"Mr. Roberts' side rested without offering other testimony to support theories of valuation and liability, according to Mr. Roberts complaint.

The arbitration panel gave Mr. Corwin the opportunity to submit valuation theories in a chart or addendum. Mr. Corwin did not submit those, the complaint said, nor did he seek to reopen the hearing to receive further evidence"

Full post as published by New York Attorney Malpractice Blog on December 17, 2009 (boomark / email).