Protecting Your Rights Against All Types Of Ethics Violations
Legal ethics refers to an ethical code that governs lawyers and their staff. These ethical rules are dictated by the State of California’s Rules of Professional Conduct.
California Breach Of Legal Ethics Lawyers
When you suspect your lawyer is in violation of California’s code of legal ethics, you may notify the California State Bar, which might decide to investigate and punish the attorney. Sometimes, further action is required if the lawyer in question has caused damages. That is where an experienced legal ethics law firm in Orange County can step in and help you recover the damages caused by poor legal counsel.
Questionable legal ethics can arise in many forms, including the following:
- Client Neglect – not returning phone calls, or answering correspondence
- Conflicts of Interest – a lawyer may not be representing a client to the best of their ability due to allegiance to another client, or the opposition
- Fraudulent Activity – forged documents, doctored evidence, or dishonorable witnesses
- Lawyer Fees – improper billing for services rendered
- Misappropriation of client funds
Legal Malpractice Lawyers In Orange County
Legal malpractice refers to a situation where a lawyer failed to provide appropriate legal representation (e.g., the lawyer’s work fell below the standard of care). This does not simply mean the lawyer lost your case, since many other factors determine the outcome of a legal matter. For a legal malpractice case to be successful, you must typically prove the following:
- Your lawyer provided inaccurate, or unnecessary legal counsel, or performed inappropriate actions that did not meet the community standard.
- The lawyer’s negligent behavior harmed you. In other words, the lawyer must have caused some sort of damage to you that was not there before.
- A competent lawyer would have achieved a better result.
- If your lawyer lost a case where you were the plaintiff, you must prove a competent lawyer would have won the case, and you would have been able to collect the damages you sought in that case.
Legal malpractice comes in many forms. The most common types of legal malpractice include the following:
- Missing court deadlines
- Failing to address and resolve conflicts of interest
- Client abandonment
- Inadequate knowledge of the law or legal proceedings, resulting in a trial loss or terrible terms in a contract you signed
- Overbilling
- Failing to file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations
- Unacceptable communication with a client, including not returning phone calls, or failing to keep clients informed
Contact The Orange County Legal Ethics Attorneys At Klein & Wilson
If you suspect that your lawyer did not perform their basic duties as a legal professional, it is highly recommended that you speak to an experienced legal malpractice lawyer.
To reach our experienced attorneys about legal malpractice matters call 949-239-0907, or contact the firm by email.