Summary Judgment for Law Firm in Breach of Fiduciary Duty Case

Matthew J. Egan recently obtained summary judgment in the Circuit Court of Cook County on behalf of a law firm, which had been sued for breach of fiduciary duty by a former client. The former client alleged that the law firm had a conflict of interest and used confidential information he had entrusted to the firm during their attorney-client relationship in representing other clients whose interests were allegedly adverse to his in three subsequent lawsuits (Circuit Court No. 2016 L 0284).

After conducting extensive discovery, Matt filed a motion for summary judgment. The Circuit Court granted this motion. The court agreed with Matt’s argument that the evidence showed that the firm’s representation of the other clients in the subsequent litigation did not involve the use of any information the firm had received from the plaintiff during his attorney-client relationship with the firm. The court also agreed with Matt’s argument that the evidence did not show that the plaintiff had been damaged by the law firm’s representation of other clients in the subsequent litigation.