Attorney Assigns Property to Himself in Legal Malpractice Case

Case Overview

This case involves alleged legal malpractice by an attorney who worked closely with a real estate owner. The attorney created fraudulent documents that named him the trustee of the real estate assets owned by the plaintiff. An appraisal of the real estate assets showed a valuation of $8,600,000. None of these documents were signed nor filed properly. The plaintiff alleged that the attorney manipulated documents and statements to obtain unlawful ownership of real estate in Brooklyn, which rightfully belonged to the plaintiff. A forgery expert was sought to opine on the issue.

Questions to the Vocational expert and their responses

What are your initial thoughts on this case?

The lawyer in this case certainly seems to have violated conflict of interest between himself and his client. The lawyer clearly did not meet his obligations as the representative for his client.

What qualifications/experiences do you have which make you well qualified to be designated as an expert on this matter?

I am highly knowledgeable with regard to attorney ethics violations and legal malpractice. I am an active member of an ethics committee, and, in addition to my legal practice, I am a law school lecturer on ethics and civility. Furthermore, I have many publications on the topics of morality, ethics, and the law. I have also served as an expert witness on past legal malpractice matters.

About the expert

This expert is fully qualified and equipped with knowledge regarding laws on ethics. He was the former vice chair, and currently a member, of the Professional Ethics Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association. In addition to his legal practices, he also travels throughout the state to various law schools and other legal associations as lecturer on ethics and civility. Furthermore, he has many publications on the topic of morality, ethics, and the law.