Legal Malpractice
Similar to a “doctor-patient” relationship, an attorney has an ethical and legal duty to his/her client once a retainer has been signed. This duty, known as “fiduciary,” requires a lawyer to exercise the utmost care, and treat the interests of his/her client as if they were his/her own. The client is entitled to place complete trust and confidence in the lawyer, and rely on his/her advice. If a lawyer acts in a negligent manner when providing legal advice or representation, it is known as legal malpractice.
In order to prove legal malpractice, a plaintiff must establish that an attorney-client relationship in fact existed and that the attorney violated the standard of care that governed the legal representation. One must also demonstrate that the plaintiff suffered damages as a proximate result of the lawyer's negligence or misconduct. Even if all other elements of a legal malpractice case are established, if the plaintiff cannot show that any damages resulted, the lawyer will typically be entitled to a dismissal of the case.
We value the trust, integrity, and loyalty implicated in the attorney-client relationship and have a great deal of experience trying legal malpractice cases. If you experienced injury as a direct cause of your attorney, contact
our offices.
You may also consult The
Statewide Grievance Committee for more detailed information.
Connecticut Legal Malpractice Lawyers