Marconi, Jalalpour Secure Defense Verdict for Client Facing Malpractice Charge

Johnson & Bell Shareholder, Joseph R. Marconi, and Associate, Ramses Jalalpour, successfully defended an Illinois attorney charged with malpractice.  Johnson & Bell’s client was charged with malpractice by the co-owner of a former private equity business.  Our client represented the owner in an underlying business dispute with his former partner.  When the two former partners terminated their business relationship, a lawsuit was filed concerning the division of more than a million dollars in fees for outstanding projects.  The former partners eventually settled the litigation without their respective lawyers.  However, the former co-owner later alleged that Johnson & Bell’s client breached his obligations by failing to properly advise him regarding his exposure in the litigation.  At trial, Marconi and Jalalpour successfully dismantled the defendant’s expert witness testimony and established that the defendant’s allegations were without merit.  After five days of trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on the former client’s malpractice claim against Johnson & Bell’s client.  In addition, the jury awarded our client $54,000 in fees owed by his client, the co-owner of the former private equity business.  The jury also asked the court whether they could award punitive damages to our client.  However, the court instructed the jury that punitive damages were not allowed in the claims submitted to the jury.