Opinion ID: 1122740
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Competent and Zealous Representation

Text: The defendants fault Burk for the manner in which he pursued the action against the bank's attorneys to recover the fees which they asserted in connection with the foreclosure sales. Defendants argue that Burk's handling of the case constituted a violation of his duty to represent his client competently and zealously. The testimony of Burk and the exhibits support the trial court's rejection of this argument.
The trial court awarded a judgment for payment of legal fees against Burzynski as well as against the corporate client. We are unable to discern any basis for holding Burzynski personally liable for payment for legal services provided to the corporate client. There is no indication that Burzynski agreed to be responsible for the fees generated by these services. Burk has not urged this court or the trial court to disregard the corporate veil in order to hold Burzynski liable, and we do not address that question. In a similar fashion, we find no basis for holding the corporation liable for legal fees attributable to services rendered to Burzynski personally or to Pinetop Construction, his unincorporated business. The record indicates that charges for a will, a criminal action, and Pinetop Construction litigation were billed to The Carriage Corporation account pursuant to Burzynski's instructions. In view of the fact that fees for distinct entities were charged to a single account, we will remand to the trial court with instructions to apportion liability between The Carriage Corporation and Burzynski.
The trial judge stated in his opinion letter concerning this case: The Court does not find sufficient evidence to find for the Defendant on any counterclaim. In some cases handled by Mr. Burk he may have made errors in judgment, but in retrospect it is easy to second guess Mr. Burk or surmise what another attorney may or may not have done under similar circumstances. The Defendant did not produce any expert witness with which to compare or set a standard of conduct to assist the Court in assessing the Plaintiff's competence in his handling of the various cases set out in the counterclaims. Certainly, there was an area of contributory negligence on the part of the Defendant who in case after case continued to use the services of Mr. Burk and accepted his legal advice. Defendants contend that they are entitled as a matter of law to damages in the amount of $2,700, incurred as a result of Burk's failure to file a cross-appeal in Keith v. Burzynski, supra, 621 P.2d 247. Burk testified that it was his best professional judgment not to cross-appeal because to do so would have meant impeaching the line of cases that he relied on at trial and during the appeal. Burk also testified that the expense of cross-appealing would have exceeded the amount involved. We agree with the courts in other jurisdictions which have declined to find a cause of action against an attorney arising out of the manner in which he honestly chooses to present his case. Gonzalez y Barredo v. Schenck, D.C.N.Y., 287 F. Supp. 505, 523 (1968); Stricklan v. Koella, Tenn. App., 546 S.W.2d 810, 814, cert. denied (1976). The record supports a finding that Burk's decision not to cross-appeal was based on his honest assessment of the merits of such an appeal. We refuse to disturb this finding. [7] Finally, defendants contend that the trial court erred in computing the amount of the offset attributable to the unnecessary legal services performed by Burk. See n. 3, supra. This issue is not contested on appeal. All parties agreed in the proceedings below that Burzynski should receive a credit for those erroneous charges assessed during August, 1980, which were itemized in Defendants' Exhibit B. Therefore, we instruct the trial court on remand to correct the amount of offset accordingly. To summarize our disposition of this appeal, the award to John Burk, P.C. of $30,028.98 in legal fees will be allowed to stand. Since we have interpreted the assignment of the claim against the bank's attorneys as creating a security interest, and since the claim was unsuccessful, the assignment has no effect on the judgment. The award shall be reduced, however, by the sums paid by defendants, but not credited to their account, and by the erroneous charges assessed in August, 1980. Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded with instructions.