Tampa Partners John Rine and Nicholas Dareneau obtained a directed verdict for their lawyer client in a legal malpractice case after parachuting in just 25 days before trial.
The case had already been pending for four years by the time Mr. Rine and Mr. Dareneau were retained. Their lawyer client had drafted multiple promissory notes and mortgages related to commercial fishing charter boats. In connection with the promissory notes and mortgages, the client faced multiple counts including legal malpractice and fraud. The plaintiffs alleged that the notes and mortgages were not properly prepared and recorded and, as a result, they sought more than $5 million in damages.
After three days of trial, Mr. Rine and Mr. Dareneau moved for a directed verdict on all counts. They argued that the plaintiffs' claims were legally deficient and that the plaintiffs had not presented any evidence to establish legal malpractice or fraud. The court agreed and granted a directed verdict on all counts while reserving jurisdiction to award reasonable attorneys' fees and cost pursuant to a proposal for settlement served two years prior to the trial.