What Is Legal Malpractice? | DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog

Legal malpractice cases are often expensive to litigate and difficult to win.  Three conditions must exist in order to prove legal malpractice:

•   An attorney-client relationship existed;
•   The attorney breached a duty he or she owed to the client; and
•   The attorney’s wrongdoing caused the client harm.

The most common reasons for a legal malpractice suit are:

•  The lawyer didn’t know the substantive law well enough;
•   The lawyer failed to get a client’s consent  or to inform the client;
•   The lawyer failed to calendar events;
•   Not knowing or observing a deadline; and
•   Insufficient discovery and/or investigation.

If you have concerns about the conduct of your lawyer, the links below provide information on how to make an inquiry with the local bar.

Virginia – How to File an Inquiry About a LawyerMaryland – Attorney Grievance CommissionDistrict of Columbia – When Problems Arise: Complaints About Attorneys