I am often asked to take over cases from major L.A.-based firms. Far too often, I uncover rampant billing abuses and outright fraud committed by the client’s former lawyers. It has become so common that I decided to draft this article to better educate the public.
To be clear, this article is not intended to solicit cases: this firm does not specialize in legal malpractice (there is rarely enough money involved in such cases to justify hiring an expensive lawyer). The aim is to educate others on how to protect themselves from bad lawyers. As they say, “one bad apple spoils the bunch”; thus, all lawyers benefit when clients hold the bad apples accountable.
This chart identifies the most common abuses committed by lawyers as well as remedies for holding them accountable. A more detailed discussion follows.
Read: Holding Lawyers Accountable
The state Senate has confirmed Gov. John Carney’s two nominees for the Delaware Supreme Court, including a lawyer tapped by Carney for the high court after he was arrested for drunken driving.
Carney’s nominations of Abigail LeGrow and N. Christopher Griffiths were confirmed Wednesday with no support from Senate Republicans. Despite Griffiths’ DUI arrest in January, GOP lawmakers were primarily outraged that, for the first time in decades, there will be no resident of Kent County on the state’s highest court.
“The governor of this great state threw us under the bus,” said Sen. Eric Buckson, a Kent County Republican.
Senate Minority Whip Brian Pettyjohn of Georgetown described Carney’s decision to forego nominating a justice from central Delaware as “insulting.”
Last week, members of the Democrat-controlled House unanimously passed a bipartisan bill mandating that the five-member Supreme Court include at least one justice from central Kent County, one from southern Sussex County, and two from northern New Castle County. The state Senate declined to take up the bill before voting on Carney’s nominees. Two Dover-area Democratic senators who cosponsored the bill, Trey Paradee and Kyra Hoffner, voted Wednesday to confirm Carney’s picks.
“Judge LeGrow and Chris have the experience, knowledge, and commitment to public service necessary to serve on the Supreme Court,” Carney said in a statement issued after they were confirmed.
Before the Senate vote, Pettyjohn questioned Griffiths during a Senate Executive Committee hearing about the traffic stop that led to his arrest, but Griffiths offered few details.
“The bottom line is this, I had too much to drink, and I should not have drove,” said Griffiths, who said he complied with the trooper who stopped him.
Griffiths, who will be the first black man to serve on the Supreme Court, also indicated that he feared that the trooper, whom he nevertheless described as “a complete gentleman,” might physically abuse him because of his race.
“I’m a black man driving around in lower Delaware at a mostly white beach, and I want to go home to my family,” Griffiths said. “There’s a lot of things in the national news that are burned in our minds and our hearts, and I wanted that officer to know “we’re on the same team.’”
“I have images in my brain from the biases I bring to that situation of, man, I want to make sure I go home tonight. I want to make sure there’s not a knee in my back but that I go home alive,” Griffiths added.
Griffiths pleaded guilty in March to reckless driving that was alcohol-related, an offense he compared to “a simple traffic ticket.” He was fined and ordered to complete an education course for those charged with driving under the influence.
LeGrow and Griffiths replace Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves, who now sits on a federal appeals court, and Justice James T. Vaughn Jr., a Kent County resident who retired effective this week.
LeGrow has served as Superior Court judge since February 2016. She previously served as a Master in Chancery on the Delaware Court of Chancery. LeGrow received her law degree from the Pennsylvania State University. Griffiths has been a partner at the Wilmington law firm of Connolly Gallagher, which also employs Democratic state Sen. Kyle Evans Gay. He previously was a wealth manager for Wilmington Trust Company and the Vanguard Group. Griffiths, who received his law degree from Villanova University, is the son of Norman Griffiths, a retired DuPont attorney who served 20 years on the Wilmington City Council.
Bando Apartments - THE BORA 3170
We built a brand new luxury apartment for you. One that’s built for the now and prepared for tomorrow. Live where you play, and love where you live. It’s all happening at THE BORA 3170.
EMBRACE REFINED LIVING IN KTOWN
Introducing brand-new studio, one, and two-bedroom apartments in THE BORA 3170. Our apartments come in varied layouts outfitted with contemporary features and tailored to accomodate your tastes. Our goal is to ensure that every one of our residents feels as though they are living at the highest quality and their needs are being catered to.
YOUR LIFE CITY CENTRIC
The BORA 3170 has a variety of floorplans ranging from luxury studios to two bedrooms. Each apartment offers a tranquil setting ready to be furnished in your individual style. Your home at The BORA 3170 is your sanctuary and the beautifully designed common areas are your retreat.
TOP LUXURY FEATURES ONLY at The BORA 3170:
- Fitness Center
- Pool & Spa
- Roof Top BBQ Grill
- Indoor Screen Golf
- Lounges/Club Room with TV Lounge
- Gated Safe Parking
- Package Tracking System
- Outdoor Living Deck
- TESLA EV Charger & Universal EV Charger
