Palm Beach Legal Malpractice & Joint Representation Appeal (April 1, 2015 4th DCA Opinion)
If you are involved in a joint representation, consider reading this April 1, 2015 legal malpractice Florida opinion from thePalm Beach Appeals Court. It involves the issue of when a law firm may represent more than one client. Joint representation in Florida?
When can a law firm represent more than one client?
- This issue often comes up for estate planning Boca Raton clients and estate planning law firms West Palm Beach
- Generally, probate lawyers Palm Beach must avoid conflicts of interest
- Probate lawyers may represent more than one client when the client consents to thejoint representation
- A good practice is to have the clients sign a writing understanding the joint representation
- This holds true for probate litigation Palm Beach and probate lawyers West Palm Beach
- A recent 4th District Court of Appeal opinion, issued yesterday, discusses legal malpractice Palm Beach and the issues of summary judgment Florida law and joint representation of multiple clients by a Florida law firm
Legal Malpractice in Palm Beach County, Florida
- When can you sue for Florida legal malpractice?
- April 1, 2015: Florida’s 4th District Court of Appeal issued its opinion yesterday in thelegal malpractice case of Pitcher v. Zappitell, which also involved issues of summary judgment and joint representation of clients.
- The Florida Bar requires informed consent from clients when joint representation is at issue.
- Here is a free online copy of the Palm Beach appeals court opinion:http://www.4dca.org/opinions/April%202015/04-01-15/4D14-91.op.pdf
- What are some take aways from this Palm Beach legal malpractice case?
- A violation of a Florida Bar Rule of Professional Conduct is not negligence per se, but may be, may be, evidence of professional negligence
- Professional negligence is what legal malpractice is often referred to as in Florida
- Do you know all the elements to prove legal malpractice or professional negligence in Florida?
- How will you prove causation in your legal malpractice trial?
- Causation standard for Florida trials in the 4th District and throughout Florida is: “more likely than not ” …..
- Proof is required that the negligence probably causes the plaintiff’s injury