A group of franchised coffee shops has filed a legal malpractice suit against the law firm Dady & Gardner. The suit claims that the law firm offered incompetent legal advice, which resulted in irreparable harm to the business of the coffee shops. Allegedly, the law office billed $5 million in legal fees and then abandoned the case three weeks before a crucial hearing.
The Dady & Gardner firm responded that the malpractice suit against them was surprising and disappointing. The firm further claimed that it met its professional responsibilities, and had successfully represented thousands of franchisees since beginning its business in 1994. The firm also mentioned that it is ranked as one of the top franchisee law firms in the United States. The senior partner of the firm claims that he had to remove himself from the case due to a serious medical condition.
However, the coffee shop franchisees claim that the Dady & Gardner firm promised it could handle the burden of its lawsuit, citing prior successes of multimillion-dollar awards in favor of its clients. Allegedly, the firm also promised that even though it was not large, it could handle the workload required for the case
It’s not uncommon for legal malpractice claims to arise after an attorney removes him- or herself from a lawsuit at the final hour, when the attorney suddenly discovers that the he or she is underwater with responsibility. However, attorneys must take responsibility when their actions constitute negligence or incompetence. If you believe that your lawyer was incompetent while representing you or your company, you might want to speak with a legal malpractice lawyer about your situation.
Source: Blue MauMau, “Hit with $11M Malpractice Suit, Dady & Gardner Refutes Claim,” Janet Sparks, May 18, 2017
