Illinois Legal Malpractice Attorney Stands Up for You
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Legal malpractice cases can be complex and stressful. There may be several reasons why your case did not turn out the way you expected. In some instances, your case’s failure may be attributed your own attorney’s malpractice. If you believe that your attorney failed to represent your interests or made egregious mistakes that led to your loss, you must consult an experienced malpractice attorney as soon as possible.
What is legal malpractice?
Legal malpractice claims are law suits brought by a client against an attorney who handled a legal matter for the client. An attorney’s conduct must meet acceptable standards of care and must adhere to the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct. There are four elements that must be met for a successful legal malpractice claim.
A client must establish that:
An attorney client relationship existed – This relationship can be evidenced by a written agreement, an oral agreement or by the attorney’s conduct in acting on behalf of the client.
A duty of care existed between the client and the attorney – A duty of care is essentially what the attorney was supposed to do for the client. In most cases, another attorney, an “expert”, will review the client’s case and determine what the duty of care was.
The attorney breached the standard of – The client must establish that the attorney’s conduct fell below what an average attorney in the same situation would have done.
Proximate cause – The negligence of the attorney must cause the client to lose the case.
The client suffered damage as a result of the breach of the standard of care – The client must prove that he would have obtained a better result but for the conduct of the attorney. For example, the client may be able to prove that he would have won the case rather than losing it or that he would have won more money.
Only an experienced legal malpractice attorney can effectively navigate the legal maze to victory
Most people expect to receive competent and knowledgeable representation when hiring an attorney. However, when your attorney fails to provide the duty of care that is owed you may not know where to turn.
Common examples of legal malpractice include:
- Failing to communicate promptly and reasonably with a client
- Missing or ignoring deadlines
- Violating the attorney-client confidentially rules
- Fraudulent billing practices
- Failing to understand the law regarding to specific types of cases
- Failure to understand evidence
It is vital that you seek advice from a reputable malpractice attorney as soon as you suspect that you may have a claim against your attorney. Legal malpractice claims are governed by strict deadlines that you must follow.
Turn to an experienced Illinois legal malpractice attorney for reliable advice and steadfast guidance
Gentleman Law has been helping clients recover from negligent and incompetent lawyers for more than 16 years. If you think you may have a claim against your attorney, call (312) 741-1039 or contact Gentleman Law online today to discuss your case, free of charge. The office is centrally located in the Loop near Daley Plaza just steps from the Cook County Courthouse and the federal courthouse. Spanish is spoken in the office for your convenience.
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