If you think your lawyer has committed or is committing malpractice, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself, including speaking with your lawyer in a mature and professional manner, documenting everything, and seeking a second opinion. Like medical malpractice cases, it can be difficult to succeed with a legal malpractice claim. You will need to show that the attorney’s negligence caused you to suffer damages and that but for the attorney’s malpractice, the outcome of your case would have been materially different.