Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Can a Plaintiff retain the services of 10 different attorneys (given that the attorneys are willing), each on a Limited Basis, on a mediocre case (with circumstantial evidence), that way each attorney does not spend much resources in a case, because others wil take turns? ,,,Because I would think if Plaintiff had a mediocre case, no attorney would take the case, to not spend resources. But if 10 attorneys agree to handle the case (out of charity maybe), it minimize each of their costs because each take turns. Or does the State Bar not allow this.,,,,Because I have seen cases where there are 5-6 attorneys listed on the caption representing a corporation before.


Asked on 9/23/14, 7:49 am

3 Answers from Attorneys

Terry A. Nelson Nelson & Lawless

Assuming any attorney was foolish enough to join such a charade, they would each face accusations of fault when something went wrong. And it would go wrong with so many 'cooks' in the kitchen. More important to you, you would spend much more on fees this way than hiring one competent attorney for the case.

BTW, multiple names on a litigation pleading generally mean a listing from senior partner down to junior associate in the same firm. Occasionally, two firms might be 'joint' on a large case.

Now, If serious about hiring counsel to help in this, and if this is in SoCal courts, feel free to contact me. I�ll be happy to help if it is a valid case you are willing to fund.

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Answered on 9/23/14, 9:10 am

Mr. Nelson's answer is correct, but to answer your specific question, "no" the State Bar does not prohibit the kind of arrangement you lay out, but as Mr. Nelson explains, the practicalities of conducting litigation makes a scheme such as that an absurdity. No attorney is going to expose themselves to joint and several malpractice liability with 10 other attorneys who are not in the same firm, and handing off a case ten times would exponentially increase, not decrease, the cost of the case, making it all the more absurd to consider a scheme like that for a mediocre case.

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Answered on 9/23/14, 11:30 am
Anthony Roach Law Office of Anthony A. Roach

The only thing two trial attorneys can agree on is what a third one did wrong.

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Answered on 9/23/14, 11:49 am


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