Dallas Team Secures Complete Defense Victory Against Claims of $2M

Trial Loss Does Not Mean There is Legal Malpractice

The alleged legal malpractice stemmed from the firm’s handling of three underlying lawsuits relating to enforcement of non-competes, non-disclosure agreements, tortious interference, and trademark infringement. The allegations placed years of the client law firm’s litigation strategy, professional judgment, and billing practices under scrutiny and asserted claims for legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

The defense focused on the results the former client had actually obtained from the very representation it was challenging. In those matters, the former client had defeated significant claims asserted against it, prevailed at trial and obtained permanent injunctive relief, and secured a favorable monetary settlement. The Thompson Coe team demonstrated that the former client had received substantial value from the legal services it later claimed constituted malpractice.

It is true that one of the underlying lawsuits regarding trademark infringement was lost in part. The Thompson Coe team, however, was able to show that losing in trial does not necessarily mean there was legal malpractice, as this can sometimes happen during the litigation process.

In addition to getting a complete defense victory, the client law firm was also awarded approximately $1.7 million for its unpaid legal fees incurred in its handling of the underlying lawsuits and the attorneys’ fees for prosecuting the counterclaim.

Additional trial support was provided by appellate attorney Cory Carlyle, who will also be handling the appeal.