Representing Clients in: San Francisco  Los Angeles  Oakland  San Jose  Sacramento  San Diego  415-296-8880

Ethical Violations

KS11890color

Ethical Violations

Lawyers are bound by ethical rules and standards, both written and unwritten. Sometimes lawyers forget that they are in a fiduciary relationship with their clients which requires them to act with the highest level of trust and integrity known in the law. They can act greedily and unethically without regard to their client’s best interest. Often, violations of ethical rules involve a conflict of interest for the lawyer. Conflicts of interest arise in many different kinds of circumstances but lawyer conflicts usually have a basic dilemma: The lawyer’s advice may not be truly independent, because the lawyer is either representing two or more sides in a case or a transaction, or the lawyer’s interest is in competition with the client’s best interest. Violations of ethical rules may give rise to actions against lawyers, separate from billing abuses or malpractice. But not all conflicts give rise to recoverable damages. The client still has to prove that they were damaged as a result of the conflict and the advice the lawyer gave, or didn’t give.

Other Services

Gwire Law Offices also provides expert witness and mediation services in legal fee disputes and legal malpractice cases. We have also been engaged to assist clients and general counsel in locating and retaining attorneys for specific cases, and have been hired to monitor on-going litigation for cost control.

The Worst Ethics Violations Case We’ve Ever Handled

This was the most egregious case of ethics violations and arose from multiple incidents of wrongdoing by an attorney in connection with, and following the settlement of his client's employment/wrongful termination claim. The settlement we achieved for our client (who came to us in a state of emotional shock over what her attorney had done) involved her recovering everything she was entitled to (and more) from the attorney.  While the names of the parties must remain confidential per the settlement, the case particulars are well worth describing.

(Read more about this featured case here...)

Client Comments: “A Lawyer You Can Count On”

I had never required a lawyer before, but like many, was painfully aware of the often ill-characterized reputation of the legal profession. So it was with understandable trepidation that I began my search for a legal representative to take my case. I had heard of Gwire Law Offices through a colleague who recommended the firm to me, even though this colleague had no personal experience with the firm. So I took a chance on Gwire.  All I can say is thank goodness there are legal firms out there like Gwire Law.

(Read more from this client and all client comments here…)

I had never required a lawyer before, but like many, was painfully aware of the often ill-characterized reputation of the legal profession. So it was with understandable trepidation that I began my search for a legal representative to take my case. I had heard of Gwire Law Offices through a colleague who recommended the firm to me, even though this colleague had no personal experience with the firm. So I took a chance on Gwire.  All I can say is thank goodness there are legal firms out there like Gwire Law.