The Top 10 Mistakes
- Poor communication with the client.
Always at the base of a professional malpractice lawsuit. - Statue of Limitations problems.
- Suing a client over the bill.
Often precipitates a malpractice law suit. - Notice of Claim problems.
Includes municipal, agency, Court of Claims, private notice requirements, and other condition precedent situations. - Calendar control problems.
Marking off calendar, non-appearance at conferences, defaults, abandonment of motions. - Failure to supply necessary documents.
Affidavit of merits, Admissible evidence affidavit for Summary Judgment, Doctor’s affidavit for threshold cases, affidavit of a reasonable excuse and a meritorious cause of action. - Discovery Failures.
Preclusion, dismissal for willful, contumacious behavior, failure to get necessary information for use at trial, failure to serve expert responses. - Conflicts of Interest.
Matrimonial, commercial situations - Escrow and fee violations.
Non-refundable fees, holding back escrows, failure to remit - Settlements and Stipulations without authority.
Attorney’s agreement will bind client even if against client’s wishes.