Professional Liability Defense Litigation

The Professional Liability Defense Group at Gordon & Rees has extensive experience in the defense of attorneys, health care providers, architects, engineers, dentists, accountants, directors and officers, real estate brokers and agents, insurance brokers and financial planners.  With experience in all aspects of professional liability defense, attorneys in the group are well qualified to handle sensitive issues of confidentiality, the impact of the case on the professional’s ongoing practice, and the need to work closely with the client in litigation strategy and settlement.

Gordon & Rees represents professionals under insurers’ errors and omissions policies and also directly when the professional is self-insured.  A result-oriented, cost-effective approach to the defense of malpractice claims is emphasized.  At the outset of representation, the assigned attorney works with the client to develop a strategy and a budget for the case.  The Gordon & Rees attorney then works aggressively and closely with the client for a successful disposition.

Accountants

Gordon & Rees attorneys have experience in representing Big 5 and medium-sized accounting firms and sole practitioners in professional liability, securities and RICO actions in civil and bankruptcy courts. The professional engagements at issue in these cases have ranged from one-time audits of individual tax returns to multi-purpose accounting and auditing for Fortune 100 companies, including audit and tax work for complex business restructures, leveraged buyouts and other extraordinary transactions. The cases handled have involved sophisticated interpretation and application of GAAP, GAAS and tax codes.

Architects and Engineers

Gordon & Rees is skilled in representing and defending architects and engineers as individual professionals, design professional firms, design joint ventures and design teams.  Matters include claims arising out of alleged errors and omissions related to the provision of professional services on numerous types of projects, including commercial, industrial and residential developments, airports, hospitals, universities, jails, bridges, dams and power plants.  The firm also offers risk avoidance counseling designed to assist design professionals in preventing future litigation.

Directors and Officers

Gordon & Rees has extensive experience in defending claims brought against corporate directors and officers.  The firm has handled D&O claims running the gamut from shareholder derivative suits to claims of breach of fiduciary duty, self-dealing, usurpation of corporate opportunities, unlawful distribution of corporate assets, employment-related and other torts, alter ego claims, and a wide variety of breach of contract and commercial litigation.  The firm has represented directors and officers in state and federal courts throughout California, as well as in administrative proceedings, arbitrations, and before courts of appeal.  The wide breadth of experience and expertise possessed by the attorneys at Gordon & Rees makes the firm well-suited to handle successfully all varieties of D&O claims.

Health Care Providers

The Health Care Defense Group at Gordon & Rees is devoted to the defense of health care providers, both insured and self-insured.  The firm has successfully defended cases at trial, arbitration and on appeal against health maintenance organizations, hospitals, doctors, nurses, surgical clinics, long term care facilities and other providers.  The Group also has experience in health care related unfair competition matters and with State Medical Board and hospital administrative proceedings.

Insurance Brokers and Agents

Gordon & Rees has represented insurance brokers and agents in a wide variety of actions alleging errors and omissions involving various types of insurance policies.  The lawyers who have represented insurance brokers and agents have acquired extensive experience representing primary, excess and life insurers and claims management organizations in negligence, fraud and bad faith actions.

Lawyers

The attorneys in the Professional Liability Practice Group representing lawyers in malpractice cases have defended hundreds of legal malpractice cases over many years.  The firm has represented legal professionals ranging from some of the largest law firms in the country to sole practitioners and involving a wide variety of legal specialties and underlying claims and transactions.  The group is well qualified to handle sensitive issues of confidentiality and the impact of the case on the lawyer’s on-going practice.  The Group’s lawyers are experienced enough to recognize cases in which attempts should be made to resolve the matter as soon as possible but at the same time has the experience and talent to successfully defend cases and even recover fees owed to the legal professional.

Real Estate Brokers and Agents

Gordon & Rees has represented both national and local real estate brokers and agents in actions involving negligence, fraud and contractual issues.  The firm’s attorneys have extensive experience in both commercial and residential matters as well as representing real estate professionals before administrative boards such as the California Board of Realtors and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  Gordon & Rees has also represented brokers and agents involved in trade secret and business competition actions.  The firm has the additional advantage of having experienced real estate transactional attorneys who can offer on-the-spot answers to sophisticated real estate related issues.