Professional malpractice cases go beyond the average commercial dispute. They attack a professional's reputation, threaten careers and can be emotional, bitterly contested disputes.

Powell Goldstein's lawyers understand the reputational and business concerns inherent in professional malpractice cases and approach each case by considering how those issues may affect the course of litigation.

Our professional liability group has asserted and defended claims against a wide range of professionals, including accountants, attorneys, architects, engineers, appraisers, securities industry professionals, corporate officers and directors, insurance brokers and agents, fiduciaries, hospitals, medical associations and health care providers.

Building on our substantive experience, we are well positioned to handle claims alleging professional malpractice in securities, intellectual property, banking, real estate, construction, insurance and general commercial litigation contexts. That experience, along with our representation of major corporations and our strong corporate finance practice, make us particularly suited to handle claims involving attorneys, accountants, underwriters, securities brokers and officers and directors for both defendants and plaintiffs in class actions, individual litigation and ADR proceedings. Our construction, litigation, real estate and health care practices enhance our ability to handle professional liability classes in those areas, as well.

Representative Matters:

• Investigated, prosecuted and tried claims against officers, directors and professionals involving a number of failed banks and thrift institutions and corporations in bankruptcy, as well as open financial institutions and commercial corporations
• Represented eight of the country's largest banks against one of the largest accounting firms for issuing a faulty opinion letter involving fraud and complex tax issues
• Represented a mortgage company's claims against attorneys and appraisers involved in a massive real estate "flip" scheme
• Represented an investor against an attorney who failed to protect his interest in a major bond acquisition
• Represented a major American manufacturer in a claim against a patent firm for furnishing an erroneous right to use and patentability opinion letter; the manufacturer relied on the letter and was sued for infringement
• Represented one of the largest accounting firms in a class action based on an allegedly faulty opinion letter
• Represented one of the country's major law firms in a claim alleging failure to comply with the securities laws
• Represented an accounting firm against alleged faulty tax advice
• Represented an accounting firm against claims by the SEC and state and national accounting boards for alleged securities fraud
• Represented a major international law firm against claims for sanctions for alleged discovery abuse in a class action against a Fortune 500 manufacturer
• Represented an engineering firm in a wrongful death claim arising out of a public building's collapse
• Represented directors and officers in numerous shareholder class and derivative actions
• Represented a law firm against securities class action claims arising out of three failed industrial revenue bond offerings
• Represented underwriters in class actions arising out of securities offerings
• Litigated numerous director and officer liability and professional insurance issues
• Regularly advise companies and individual directors and officers on insurance coverage
• Defend fiduciaries against claims of malpractice