by Stewart Sutton | Nov 10, 2015 | Legal Malpractice
We expect that attorneys should be able to write well. After all, litigation involves filing countless motions and oppositions. I having read thousands of documents drafted by opposing counsels, I estimate that about 5% are excellent writers, 90% are good writers,...
by Stewart Sutton | Jul 24, 2015 | Legal Malpractice
In its July 24, 2015 opinion in Attorney Grievance Commission v. Kenneth Haley, the Maryland Court of Appears disbarred an attorney for depositing legal fees into his business account, instead of his Attorney Trust Account, without client’s informed, written...
by Stewart Sutton | Mar 25, 2015 | Legal Malpractice
Each year, I review dozens of retainer agreements drafted by Maryland law firms. Here’s my list of the six most common problems I find in Retainer Agreements: 1. The language in the Retainer Agreement is ambiguous: I reviewed a contingency fee agreement...
by Stewart Sutton | Mar 18, 2015 | Legal Malpractice
When you hire an attorney, it is common that you will pay a retainer. The attorney is obligated to deposit the entire retainer into the law firm’s Attorney Trust Account (also called an IOLTA Account). The attorney may only withdraw fees as they are earned. I...
by Stewart Sutton | Apr 8, 2014 | Attorney Grievance Commission, Legal Malpractice
The March/April 2014 Maryland Bar Journal contains Stewart A. Sutton’s article that an attorney who has violated the Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct should not sue a former client for legal fees owed. The article contains a comprehensive...
