Attorneys are held to a high standard of professionalism within the field. They are required to work ethically and to conduct themselves professionally with their clients’ best interests in mind at all times. When a lawyer fails to do so and the client suffers financial loss, the attorney may be liable for legal malpractice. Legal malpractice occurs when an attorney’s conduct falls below the standard to be expected of a lawyer, and in the process causes damage to the client.
A lawyer’s conduct may be considered malpractice if the attorney fails to file a claim within the applicable statute of limitation, or fails to meet a deadline that causes a client’s case to be dismissed. It is not legal malpractice just because a client loses a case – there must be more. Lawyers generally are not liable for errors in their professional judgment, as long as their judgment was based on an evaluation of the facts and law available to them. In other words, a lawyer can choose one strategy over another, such as deciding not to call a particular witness at trial. If the lawyer’s decision is not reasonable, it could be malpractice. A thorough evaluation of a case by an experienced attorney is required to determine if malpractice has occurred.
The lawyers at Brannon & Associates have the experience and understanding of the law to make these determinations, and do so in every legal malpractice case assessed. If you have suffered financial loss due to the negligence or recklessness of an attorney, you may have a claim for legal malpractice. If the actions of your attorney seemed below the standard ordinarily expected, contact Brannon & Associates immediately for a free consultation to discuss your claim.
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