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Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Aug. 7, 2026

9th Circuit revives malpractice claims against law firm over $5.3M trademark judgment

Law firm could face malpractice liability where evidence showed its failure to supervise an associate assigned to the case and to disclose the associate's prior mismanagement may have caused a client's default judgment and trebled damages.

A federal appeals court revived malpractice and fiduciary-duty claims against a California law firm, ruling that a jury should decide whether the firm's alleged failure to supervise an attorney helped saddle a former client with a $5.3 million trademark judgment and ultimately contributed to its bankruptcy.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed summary judgment for Marron Lawyers APC on claims brought by Koi Design LLC for legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty a...

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