Avoiding Ethical Violations and Legal Malpractice Claims: An Expert’s Perspective

Legal Malpractice – two words attorneys hope they never have to hear in their legal career … unless they are taking a CLE course. There are many avenues that can lead to a malpractice claim, from failing to return your client’s calls and emails to improperly calendaring important dates. Join attorney James King for an excellent review of how to avoid ethical violations from the state bar and legal malpractice claims from your clients. The main topics discussed include the Golden Rules, the attorney client relationship, avoiding legal malpractice during the representation and the end of the attorney client relationship. Further topics discussed include communicating with clients, procrastination, keeping current on fees, substance abuse, representing multiple clients, potential conflicts, clarifying & limiting the scope of the attorney client relationship, the retention agreement, clients who habitually change attorneys, suing for legal fees, withdrawal, handling matters promptly, staying current on the law, the “rescue attorney,’ mistakes, keeping a clear record and client papers.

James E. King is the Founder of the King Law Corporation in San Diego. Mr. King specializes in attorney fee disputes, legal ethics, and advises corporate counsel and law firms on litigation costs. Mr. King has testified as an expert witness on numerous attorney-client fee disputes and has skillfully represented prominent clients such as Prince Fahd Aziz of Saudi Arabia and Heisman Trophy winner Rashan Salaam. Mr. King serves as a Special Master for the State Bar of California and is Vice-Chair of the Fee Arbitration Committee for the San Diego County Bar Association. Jim also lectures and publishes works on attorney fee ethics and other related topics.

Practice Areas: Ethics

State Accreditations: California (CA)