Bankruptcy does not wash away malpractice judgment

By Patricia Manson Law Bulletin staff writer

Posted May 19, 2015 2:56 PM

A lawyer who couldn’t communicate with his client because they did not speak a common language is on the hook for a $26,000 legal-malpractice judgment.In a written opinion, U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel affirmed a ruling that John C. Jahrling may not wipe out the judgment in bankruptcy court.The judgment is not dischargeable, Zagel wrote, because it stemmed from “grossly reckless conduct” — not mere negligence — on the part of Jahrling.Jahrling represented 90-year-old Stanley Cora in the …

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