Opinion ID: 1668702
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Forgione and KPMG

Text: As noted above, we previously have discussed the assignability of legal malpractice claims in two cases that did not involve such claims. In Forgione, we considered whether an insured could assign a claim for negligence against an insurance agent for failure to obtain proper coverage. 701 So.2d at 558. We said yes, reasoning that parties can assign causes of action derived from a contract or statute. Id. at 559. We compared the relationship between a prospective insured and an insurance agent with the attorney-client relationship. We noted that in contrast to the former relationship, the attorney-client relationship is confidential and personal and thus cannot be assigned: Florida law views legal malpractice as a personal tort which cannot be assigned because of `the personal nature of legal services which involve highly confidential relationships.' 701 So.2d at 559 (quoting Washington v. Fireman's Fund Ins. Co., 459 So.2d 1148, 1149 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984)). Several years later, we permitted the assignment of a claim against an independent auditor for professional malpractice in preparing an audit. See KPMG, 765 So.2d at 39. As in Forgione, we noted that legal malpractice claims are not assignable because of the personal nature of legal services which involve a confidential, fiduciary relationship of the very highest character, with an undivided duty of loyalty owed to the client. KPMG, 765 So.2d at 38. We found that unlike an attorney, who must zealously represent a client in an adversarial setting, an independent auditor who is hired to give an opinion on a client's financial statements must do so with an independent impartiality which contemplates reliance upon the audit by interests other than the entity upon which the audit is performed. Id. We distinguished the public policy reasons discussed in Forgione that prohibit assignment of legal malpractice claims because [r]ather than acting as an advocate with an undivided duty of loyalty owed a client, an independent auditor performs a different function. 765 So.2d at 38.