Legal Malpractice
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ATTORNEYS Legal Malpractice LewisBrisbois.com Legal Malpractice ince its founding, our firm has successfully defended thousands of lawyers, as well as the firms in which they practice, ranging from sole practitioners to some of the largest law firms in the country. The underlying legal matters involved in Sthese cases include: • Bankruptcy • Estate Planning & Probate • Business Litigation and Transactions • Immigration • Civil Litigation • Intellectual Property & Trademark • Collection • Malicious Prosecution • Commercial Litigation • Medical Malpractice • Construction Defect • Personal Injury • Criminal Law • Products Liability • Defamation • Real Estate • Divorce & Family Law • Tax • Employment • Toxic Torts • Environmental • Workers’ Compensation Many of these cases involved multi-million dollar claims in either state or federal courts through trial and on appeal. In addition to defending suits brought by our clients’ former clients, we also defend suits brought by third-parties, such as malicious prosecution, abuse of process, claims of conspiracy, and claims brought by disgruntled heirs. Lewis Brisbois has been the prevailing counsel in numerous published appellate decisions involving lawyers. The development and implementation of an effective defense for legal malpractice claims depends heavily on the underlying area of law. Within our firm, we have attorneys who specialize in bankruptcy, corporate law, employment and labor law, entertainment, estate planning, intellectual property and patent litigation, maritime law, medical malpractice, products liability, tax law, toxic tort and environmental litigation, workers’ compensation, and numerous other areas. Our size and depth of practice provides our firm with access to knowledgeable practitioners in numerous practice areas, enabling us to efficiently analyze a claim and pursue the most expeditious defense strategy, often without having to first retain outside experts or consultants. Lewis Brisbois has extensive experience in the area of risk management for attorneys. In addition to their legal practice, our attorneys participate in a wide array of Bar or insurer sponsored seminars on risk management for attorneys as well. We also offer toll free hotlines for various insurers to prevent claims from being made or reduce exposure before a claim is made. As a preventive measure, our attorneys offer in-house continuing legal education programs to law firms and insurers on topics designed for their practices. We also represent insurers who write legal malpractice in offering coverage advice and in initiating declaratory judgment actions seeking declarations of no coverage or a rescission of the policy LewisBrisbois.com Lewis Brisbois’ Legal Malpractice lawyers understand also represented attorneys in disciplinary proceedings the negative impact that a legal malpractice claim can brought by state licensing agencies. have on an individual or firm’s professional image. Our team of experienced defense attorneys recognizes the In January 2011 the firm published the fifth edition amount of discretion it takes to successfully defend an of our “California Legal Malpractice & Malicious individual or law firm against a legal malpractice claim. Prosecution Liability Handbook”. The handbook is 168 We take pride in defending all legal malpractice cases pages and contains summaries of California case law in a sensitive and highly confidential manner. and statutes pertaining to legal malpractice, malicious prosecution and related causes of action brought against In representing lawyers accused of legal malpractice, attorneys. If you would like to obtain a copy of the we have worked for every major underwriter of legal handbook, please contact Ken Feldman at 213.680.5171 malpractice insurance policies, and we are the counsel or at [email protected]. of choice for many self-insured law firms. We have LewisBrisbois.com Legal Malpractice Attorneys Legal Malpractice Attorneys KENT M. ADAMS MARC S. CWIK ESTHER P. HOLM PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 832.460.4605 702.693.4374 714.668.5510 Houston Las Vegas Orange County MARK K. ANESH KAREN M. DICKE JAMES K. KLOSS PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 212.232.1411 504.272.2784 602.385.7850 New York New Orleans Phoenix BARTLEY L. BECKER JAMES R. DOYLE GARY M. LAPE PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 213.680.5091 404.348.8571 714.668.5527 Los Angeles Atlanta Orange County SCOTT C. BENTIVENGA KENNETH C. FELDMAN ALEX GRAFT PARTNER CHAIR PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 312.463.3341 213.680.5171 415.438.6692 Chicago Los Angeles San Francisco V. ANDREW CASS PETER L. GARCHIE DAVID S. LONG PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 206.876.2977 619.699.4907 213.680.5113 Seattle San Diego Los Angeles LewisBrisbois.com Legal Malpractice Attorneys Legal Malpractice Attorneys JOHN S. LOWENTHAL BRUCE L. SHAFFER CHRISTOPHER C. WHITE PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 909.381.7168 916.646.8203 214.722.7101 San Bernardino Sacramento Dallas R. SCOTT MASTERSON PARTNER PETER T. SHAPIRO CRISTINA R. YANNUCCI [email protected] PARTNER PARTNER 404.348.8570 [email protected] [email protected] Atlanta 212.232.1322 212.232.1412 New York New York DUANE C. MUSFELT ROBERT GAYLORD SMITH GEORGE J. ZISER PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 415.438.6606 619.699.4975 415.438.6659 San Francisco San Diego San Francisco BRIAN A. RAWERS MAUREEN C’CONNOR BARRY ZOLLER PARTNER SULLIVAN PARTNER [email protected] PARTNER [email protected] 619.699.4960 [email protected] 213.680.5143 San Diego 337.205.4523 Los Angeles Lafayette WILLIAM JOHN REA, JR. KEVIN M. VANNATTA PARTNER PARTNER [email protected] [email protected] 213.680.5013 954.495.2212 Los Angeles Fort Lauderdale LewisBrisbois.com Firm Overview stablished in 1979, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP is a national, full-service law firm with nearly 900 attorneys and 30 offices, in 16 states and the District of Columbia. EOur national practice is sophisticated, multi-faceted and well-versed in current legal trends, while our individual state practices provide vast resources and knowledge of procedural and legal nuances. Lewis Brisbois offers legal practice in nearly 30 specialties, and a multitude of sub-specialties associated with each practice area. Our attorneys have broad knowledge, expertise, and sensitivity to their clients’ unique needs. Through interaction among its practice groups, Lewis Brisbois provides a wide range of legal services to each client with a continuity of representation over multiple disciplines. We have built longstanding relationships with corporate and institutional clients based on our ability to provide comprehensive service on a national scale. At Lewis Brisbois, diversity is an integral part of our firm culture and our daily life. We accomplish diversity not by committee or initiative, but through the true and committed practice of hiring the best people for the job and consistently rewarding excellence. The success of these policies is reflected in the fact that Lewis Brisbois has repeatedly received national recognition for its commitment to embracing diversity. Lewis Brisbois is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse group of talented lawyers and staff, and demonstrates that commitment through non-discriminatory hiring, retention and promotion policies. The diversity of the firm’s client base is matched by the diversity of our attorneys. With offices from Los Angeles to New York, our attorneys reflect the communities in which they live. The firm’s culture has fostered a diverse group of professionals committed to promoting the best interests of our clients, our communities and the legal profession. We are committed to supporting diversity through new and ongoing relationships with minority and women-owned businesses. Lewis Brisbois is known for its commitment to principled advocacy, an unflinching work ethic, and unyielding recognition of our duty to provide the highest level of service to our clients, who choose us because we take the time to understand their business interests and philosophies. We have developed sophisticated proprietary risk evaluation and litigation management processes that many of our clients have incorporated into their business practices, and we help them manage and defend claims and litigation. As a result, they are avoiding and reducing losses that impact their bottom line. Our practice includes pre-suit counseling and problem solving based on a structured and accurate analysis of likely outcome. We know our clients’ objectives are often best served by a pre-suit resolution, and we are often judged by the advice and counsel we provide toward that end. However, when trial is the answer and in the client’s best interest, no law firm in this country understands and better executes a trial strategy than Lewis Brisbois. We are truly client driven and result oriented. For more about Lewis Brisbois, please visit us at LewisBrisbois.com. Nationwide Locations ATLANTA DENVER LAS VEGAS ORANGE COUNTY SAN FRANCISCO 1180 Peachtree Street NE The Brind Mansion 6385 South Rainbow Blvd. 650 Town Center Drive 333 Bush Street Suite 2900 825 Logan Street Suite 600 Suite 1400 Suite 1100 Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Denver, Colorado 80203 Las Vegas, Nevada 89118 Costa Mesa,