Malpractice Claim Targets Bay Area Attorney

If Bay Area plaintiff’s attorney Christopher Andreas never returned to Cleveland, it would probably be too soon. But a former client wants him back so a jury can hear malpractice claims against Andreas and his firm.

In a complaint (.pdf) filed Oct. 3 in an Ohio state court, Jack Kananian, Andreas’ former client, said he was forced to settle an asbestos suit against Lorillard Tobacco Co. at a discount because of “negligent professional misconduct” by Andreas. Kananian also accused Andreas’ firm, Brayton Purcell of Novato and Early, Ludwick & Sweeney, a firm based in New Haven, Conn., of committing malpractice.

“The collective negligent conduct of all named defendants fell below the acceptable standards of skill, care and diligence requisite in the legal representation of a client,” David Forrest, a Cleveland attorney representing Kananian, said in the complaint.

Kananian’s claims appear to be based on a Cleveland judge’s ruling in January that said Andreas and his firm tried to cash in fraudulent asbestos claim forms then lied in court to cover it up, among other lawyerly no-nos. Andreas has denied those allegations.

Andreas also took a lot of heat for wearing a handwritten T-shirt to a deposition that said Lorillard Tobacco makes “killer smokes,” something Andreas couldn’t deny because his photo in the shirt appeared all over the Internet. We have a sneaking suspicion that his next public appearance will be in a suit and tie.

—  Matthew Hirsch