Split of Legal Fees • Breach of Contract Damages • Lack of Contract Between Law Firms • Quantum Meruit
Meyer, Darragh, Buckler, Bebenek & Eck, P.L.L.C. v. Law Firm of Malone Middleman, P.C., PICS Case No. 16-0560 (Pa. April 25, 2016) Baer, J. (22 pages).
A predecessor law firm was not entitled to breach of contract damages against a successor law for a share of legal fees where there was no contract between the law firms, instead only a contract between the predecessor law firm and an employee attorney who took the case to the successor law firm, such that the employee attorney as a nonpartner owed and imposed no fiduciary duty to split fees. Order of the superior court reversed.
