Court Opinion

ID: 9443515
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 19:23:54.851123+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:29:31.499946
License: Public Domain

BONE, Circuit Judge
(concurring).
I agree with Judge Pope’s conclusion that the measure of the attorney’s duty to his client is a question of law for ultimate determination by reviewing courts. However, I agree with Chief Judge Denman that the vital issue here is whether, as the Commission found, Cogan was in fact actually guilty of divided loyalty. On this, as on other issues of fact, our scope of review is limited to a determination whether (on the whole record) this finding is supported by substantial evidence. If there was a suggestion of “divided loyalty”, the Commission gave it a most peculiar complexion by finding that the end result in this case was a settlement that was “fair and equitable.” For the reasons pointed out in Chief Judge Denman’s concurring opinion, I do not believe that the finding of divided loyalty can be sustained.