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Legal Professional Liability NewsletterJuly 16, 2018Even well-established doctrines gradually change with the times — this we know. Legal malpractice jurisprudence is no different. One facet of legal malpractice claims that has undergone significant transformation in recent decades is the privity requirement. The principle of privity has traditionally been a staple of legal malpractice claims: it requires the existence of an attorney-client relationship before an action against the attorney may

Last week, we reviewed Lenick Constr., Inc. v. Selective Way Ins. Co., 2018 WL 2727394, — Fed. Appx. —- (3d. Cir. 2018), a Third Circuit case addressing the scope of coverage for claims arising from faulty workmanship under Pennsylvania law as set forth in Kvaerner Metals Division of Kvaerner US, Inc. v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., 900 A.2d 888 (Pa. 2006). This week, we continue our “Kvaerner Mid-Year Update,” addressing two recent cases in the United States District Court for the Middle Distr

Rent Control is not a Solution to a Housing ShortageBy: D. Keith B. Dunnagan, Esq.In 1995, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act was enacted in California to constrain the rent control ordinances major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco were implementing. Within this Act, single-family homes, condominiums, and duplexes are largely exempt from the rent control policies. Costa-Hawkins also covers any buildings constructed after 1995. This means that as soon as a tenant moves out of exem

June 6, 2018The Supreme Court of Ohio recently clarified the scope of the tort of spoliation,[1] which requires five elements under Ohio law: (1) pending or probable litigation involving the plaintiff, (2) knowledge on the part of defendant that litigation exists or is probable, (3) willful destruction of evidence by defendant designed to disrupt the plaintiff’s case, (4) disruption of the plaintiff’s case, and (5) damages proximately caused by the defendant’s actsIn Elliott-Thomas v. Smith, the

Commercial insurance prices in the U.S. increased modestly in the first quarter of 2018, according to leading global advisory, broking and solutions company Willis Towers Watson’s Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS). The survey compared prices charged on policies written during the first quarter of 2018 with those charged for the same coverage during the equivalent quarter in 2017. Price changes were in excess of 1 percent for the first time in 11 quarters, breaking the moderating