The so-called Camp Fire that has raged on recently in Northern California in an unprecedented way has inflicted unspeakable harm on individuals, families and businesses across a broad swath of the state. Tragically, scores of people have died in the conflagration, with many hundreds still being unaccounted for.
In short, people’s lives have been turned upside down, with help being desperately needed.
Californians have of course responded, with many diverse groups and organizations helping in myriad ways. That aid includes valuable and on-point assistance rendered by attorney groups and individual practitioners from across the state. Legal professionals have helped fire victims timely secure government benefits and file insurance claims. They are interceding on behalf of displaced homeowners and renters in matters involving contractors, landlord, lenders and other parties. There is much good that is being done.
Sadly, material harm is also on display. A recent media article on the fire notes that the State Bar of California “is warning wildfire victims about unscrupulous lawyers.”
In doing so, the bar is underscoring taboo practices that are being unlawfully engaged in by some bad-faith attorneys seeking to take advantage of people who are at their most vulnerable. Those include attempts to drum up legal business at accident scenes and hospitals and seeking to solicit business through communications not properly identified as advertisements. Some lawyers are also promising specific outcomes in clear contravention of state law barring any such guarantees.
Unfortunately, there are always a few such attorneys active across the state. Their tactics unquestionably sully the reputation of the legal industry generally, and it is flatly necessary that such persons be identified, punished and removed from the profession.
That is our focus at the California legal malpractice law firm of Glickman & Glickman. Our attorneys provide zealous and aggressive advocacy to state residents who need to take a stand against negligent or overtly bad-faith lawyers. Our firm has offices in both Los Angeles County and in San Francisco, which enables us to provide quick and effective client coverage that spans the state.
We welcome contacts to the firm to discuss our practice and resolve in helping valued clients protect themselves against legal malpractice.