The plaintiffs sued their former lawyer and her law firm for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract, primarily alleging she mishandled a security for costs motion and other procedural steps, resulting in higher legal fees.
The court found that the action was essentially a fee dispute cloaked as a negligence claim.
The plaintiffs failed to tender expert evidence to establish the standard of care for the lawyer's advice, and the court found no clear error or egregious conduct in her handling of the file.
The action was dismissed, and the plaintiffs were ordered to pay $80,000 in costs on an elevated scale due to their improper motives in bringing the litigation.