Professional Liability

Holden Carr & Skeens’ Litigation Department is one of the most capable and experienced in the Midwest .  Our trial lawyers have provided aggressive representation in civil disputes of all kinds – including administrative and regulatory proceedings, arbitrations and mediations – and have appeared in state and federal venues in every region of the country.

Attorneys in our Professional Liability practice provide our clients with a full range of services.   We regularly defend lawyers, accountants, brokers, and other professionals in a wide array of litigation:

• Legal malpractice
• Accounting malpractice
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Conflicts of interest
• Securities fraud
• Legal ethics involving lawyers

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act violations brought against attorneys, accountants, insurance brokers and agents, and corporate officers and directors.

In addition, we represent professional liability insurers in coverage litigation, arbitration, and ADR proceedings, as well as provide general counseling and advice.

Since high damage amounts are commonly sought, professional liability litigation is a high-stakes affair, often involving both large damages claims and the threat of significant reputational harm.   To effectively defend professional liability claims, a lawyer must understand the following:

• What the client-professional was required to do,
• What theories of law should apply,
• What other actors may be responsible,
• What type of expert testimony will be required, and
• What the monetary and non-monetary risks are for the client.  

We understand our professional clients’ needs to have the claim resolved quickly and reasonably whenever possible.   We are also sensitive to client concerns regarding the high costs often associated with defending professional liability actions.   We constantly seek alternatives to expensive, protracted litigation and encourage arbitration and mediation in all appropriate cases.

Litigation, when necessary, is handled by a group of attorneys, paralegals, and staff with extensive experience in liability issues.

Holden Carr & Skeens’ attorneys are often called upon to represent doctors, accountants, architects, engineers and lawyers facing professional malpractice claims with the potential to jeopardize our clients' reputations and professions.   Holden Carr & Skeens is retained directly by these clients, and in other instances, by their insurers.   Professional liability cases handled by the Firm generally involve large financial exposure and sophisticated legal and technical issues.