New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.
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Advising Client to Pursue Litigation in Allegedly “Biased” Court Does Not Constitute Legal Malpractice — Conflict of Interest States No Claim Absent Damages

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From Stonewell Corp. v. Jerseysearch Title Servs., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1107 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 7, 2010):

The Court is not persuaded by Stonewell's contention that Dollinger was negligent in advising Stonewell to proceed in the "bias[ed] forum" of the Middle District of Florida instead of the more "impartial" forum of the New York district court. *** The Court will not endorse the view that some district courts are "biased" while others are "impartial," and that an attorney's duty to a client includes determining whether or not a court is "bi-ased." The appropriate inquiry is whether the defendant-attorney exercised a "degree of care, skill and diligence commonly possessed and exercised by a member of the legal community." *** Based upon the record before the Court, Dollinger met the requisite standard of care and conduct in pursuing the first "innocent owner" petition.***

A "conflict of interest, even if a violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility, does not by itself support a legal mal-practice cause of action." Sumo Container Station, Inc. v. Evans, Orr, Pacelli, Norton & Laffan, P.C., 278 A.D. 2d 169, 171 (1st Dep't 2000). Even if a potential conflict of interest existed, Stonewell must still establish that such a conflict caused an actual injury. A failure to establish that an attorney's conduct proximately caused harm requires dis-missal of the malpractice action, regardless of whether the attorney was in fact negligent. See Bauza v. Livington, 40 A.D. 3d 791, 793 (2d Dep't 2007); Leder v. Spiegel, 31 A.D. 3d 266, 268 (1st Dep't 2006); Schwartz v. Olshan Grundman Frome & Rosenzweig, 753 N.Y.S. 2d 482, 486 (1st Dep't 2003).

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New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.
New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.

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