The representation of accountants, lawyers, and other professionals is a significant area of our practice. We understand and appreciate the personal nature of the action, and welcome our clients' comments and suggestions in creating and executing case strategy. This philosophy has proven to be successful in our expedient disposition of professional liability matters.

We have represented professionals in thousands of lawsuits filed in the State and Federal courts, as well as numerous adversary actions filed in Bankruptcy Court. We also frequently appear before the Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court in professional liability matters, prosecuting or defending civil appeals, petitions for extraordinary relief, and appellate motions.

Our emphasis in professional liability cases is to aggressively attack whenever possible, to eliminate all or part of claims that have been asserted and leave as little as possible to be tried, arbitrated, or mediated. Indeed, the relatively small amount of professional liability cases that ultimately proceed to trial is attributable to our outstanding success at early disposition through aggressive law and motion.

Accounting Liability and Malpractice

CGD has extensive experience representing regional and local accounting and business management firms in litigation and risk management matters. The firm has defended its accounting clients in various matters including against claims of malpractice, common law fraud, negligent misrepresentation, deceptive trade practices, federal and state securities laws violations, civil conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duty.

Our accounting liability team is extremely knowledgeable regarding accountant's duties, issues relative to comparative fault, fiduciary duties, detection and disclosure of illegal acts and controls, perceived conflicts of interest, related party transactions, regulatory accounting principles, withdrawal and reissuance of audit opinions, the nuances of overall accounting and auditing issues, tax matters, business management engagements and general issues relative to the concerns of today's accounting firms face.

CGD has represented accounting firm clients before various regulatory agencies including, the State Board of Accountancy, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in response to informal and formal investigations. The firm is extremely familiar with the implications of these agencies' actions on accounting firms and their personnel. The firm also has extensive experience representing accounting firms when responding to subpoenas, third party requests for information documentation as well as deposition representation when the accounting firm is not a party to the litigation.

Legal Malpractice

Our representation of lawyers is extensive. We handle actions involving alleged legal malpractice, as well as corollary claims of malicious prosecution and abuse of process. The cases and issues are as expansive as the law itself, and include actions arising from myriad underlying disputes, transactions, or lawsuits.

We understand the financial and emotional costs of defending malpractice cases, especially in the presence of the deductible feature in most professional liability insurance policies. We therefore actively solicit our clients' involvement and interaction in the defense process, so they can participate in decisions concerning case handling and disposition.

Architects and Engineers Liability and Malpractice

We are highly skilled in advising, representing and defending architects and engineers, design professionals, design joint ventures and design teams. The firm offers various resources and skill sets to thoroughly counsel these clients and is committed to assisting these professionals in loss prevention efforts designed to thwart potential litigation. The firm also represents clients in claims arising out of alleged errors and omissions related to the provision of professional services on various types of projects with an emphasis on commercial, industrial and residential development.