Legal Question in Legal Ethics in California

Attorney's Responsibiliy to Client

Can an attorney be penalized for failing to communicate valuable information to his client from opposing council and the council's client.

It is specifically a lawsuit, whereas the attorney representing the petitioner obtained emails 2 weeks prior to advising his client. Even though the client has been in contact with the attorney to complain of the respondants and their council's lack of response. The ramification is that the property been delayed in being listed, because of this, and the attorney for the petitioner never apparently read the email he received from the opposing council, nor did he contact his client. What can be done?. This action has costed more in legal fees, which doesn;t seem fair since the attorney had the information for two weeks before communicating. Only after his client insisted that they go back to court to try and expedite the process, did he finally forward a string of e-mails where it was obvious the other side was attempting to communicate all along. It is a situation of probate, and is currently in litigation, a mediation agrrement was ma the and as such a mediation agreement was made, but it appeared that the respondant was lagging.


Asked on 5/15/07, 7:29 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Johm Smith tom's

Re: Attorney's Responsibiliy to Client

Attorneys are responsible for informing their clients of all offers of settlement. It would be a fact issue about whether two weeks was too long a delay.

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Answered on 5/15/07, 7:59 pm


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