MISREPRESENTATION LAWYERS IN HUNTINGTON BEACH

Representation for Clients Throughout Orange County, CA

You have legal problems. That’s why you hired an attorney in the first place – you needed advisement from an expert who knows their way around the law. But what happens when your lawyer is stacking on the difficulties instead of helping you through them? Your attorney’s job as a professional in the legal field is to calm the waters, clarify legal jargon and make things easier for you, not the other way around. So if you have been misrepresented, lied to, or if your case is being handled by an incompetent lawyer, you probably have a case against him or her.

DO I HAVE A CASE?

Every case is different, but legal malpractice claims usually fall under three categories:

• Negligence
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Breach of contract

Negligence happens when your attorney fails to use the skill and care normally expected of a competent attorney. Examples of negligence include:

• Failing to file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations time required under law
• Missing other important deadlines in the case
• Not properly preparing for trial
• Not following court orders
Most legal malpractice claims that end up in court are a result of lawyer negligence.

Breach of fiduciary duty usually occurs when your lawyer has a conflict of interest that harms you in some way. Examples of breach of fiduciary duty include:

• Representing another client to your disadvantage (such as representing another defendant in the same lawsuit)
• Having financial or social ties or troubles that prevent your lawyer from representing you to your best advantage
• Improper sexual advances toward you
• Lying to you about important case information
• Not telling you about settlement offers
• Settling your case for less than it was worth without your approval
• Inappropriately using money belonging to you, such as your retainer

Breach of contract cases are brought against lawyers who violate the terms of their specific agreement with their client. Some examples include:

• Failing to file a foreclosure action for a client after agreeing to do so
• Failing to research the registration of certain patents as promised
• Not filing a mechanics' lien for a client after agreeing to do so