C.W. Keller & Associates, Inc. v. Cullen

7 Mass. L. Rptr. 271
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedJuly 22, 1997
DocketNo. 943493B
StatusPublished

This text of 7 Mass. L. Rptr. 271 (C.W. Keller & Associates, Inc. v. Cullen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
C.W. Keller & Associates, Inc. v. Cullen, 7 Mass. L. Rptr. 271 (Mass. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

Quinlan, J.

The plaintiff, C.W. Keller & Associates, Inc. (“Keller”), through its president Charles Keller, has brought a legal malpractice action against several attorneys and their respective law firms. Defendants Daniel S. Gindes (“Gindes”) and the law firm of Gindes and Correia (“G&C”) now move for summary judgment pursuant to Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(c) on the ground that Keller had no attorney-client relationship with them upon which to base a legal malpractice claim. Defendants Mark G. Morisi (“Morisi”), Martin O’Connell (“O’Connell”), and the law firm of Morisi and O’Connell (“M&O”) have filed a separate motion for summary judgment on the same ground. For the reasons set forth below, the motion of Defendants Gindes and G&C is ALLOWED and the motion of Morisi, O’Connell, and M&O is DENIED.

BACKGROUND

The following facts are undisputed. Keller is a business which produces custom woodwork, cabinetry, and furniture. In 1989, Keller, as a subcontractor, delivered goods valued at approximately $100,000 to a medical building located at 67 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts. Leonard Getiy (“Getty”), the general contractor, only partially paid Keller. Consequently, Keller retained the law firm of Cullen and Butters (“C&B”) to initiate collection proceedings for the monies owed him.

On July 5, 1989, Albert Cullen, Jr. (“Cullen”), a partner at C&B, and Judi Sanzo (“Sanzo”), an associate at the firm, filed four separate lawsuits in Worcester Superior Court on Keller’s behalf against Getty and various condominium owners. Each suit sought relief only under the mechanic’s lien statute. Only two of the suits are the subject of the current legal malpractice action: C. W. Keller & Associates v. Leonard Getty, dba L&G Contracting, and John Liland (Civil Action No. 1980) (“the Liland case”) and C.W. Keller & Associates v. Leonard Getty, dba L&G Contracting and New Entity Realty, Inc. (Civil Action No. 89-1982) (“the New Entity case”).

Procedural History of the New Entity Case

On July 5, 1989, C&B filed a motion for summary judgment on Keller’s behalf in the New Entity case. On July 31, 1989, the court allowed Keller’s motion and, on August 2, 1989, entered judgment against Getty and New Entity in the amount of $50,709.37. On September 1, 1989, New Entity filed its notice of appeal; Getty, however, did not appeal the court’s judgment.

On June 21, 1991, the Appeals Court vacated the judgment for Keller on the ground that a signed copy of the contract was not before the trial court at the time summary judgment entered. The Court ordered that judgment was to enter for both Liland and Getty.Keller’s counsel did not file any further appeals or a motion for reconsideration. Subsequently, the Superior Court issued a written judgment in favor of Liland and Getty, which was then entered on the wrong docket.

In December 1991, Cullen and Susan Correia (“Correia”), an associate at C&B, filed a new lawsuit on Keller’s behalf against New Entity only. The suit contained counts for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and violations of the UCC. New Entity filed a motion to dismiss, which was unopposed. Subsequently, in January 1992, the court granted New Entity’s motion.

In April 1993, Keller’s counsel filed a motion to enter the judgment for New Entity and Getty on the correct docket and to vacate the entry of judgment. Although the clerk entered it on the correct docket, the court denied Keller’s motion to vacate the judgment. In May 1993, Keller’s counsel then filed a motion for relief from the judgment and a motion to amend the complaint, which was denied in July 1993. In July, Keller’s counsel filed a motion for reconsideration, which was denied. On September 17, 1993, they attempted to have the motion for reconsideration heard again, which was again denied in October.

On October 21, 1993, Keller’s counsel filed a notice of appeal of both the April entry of judgment for Getty and New Entity and the denial of the motion to amend the complaint. The record does not reflect the final disposition of Keller’s appeal.

Procedural History of the Liland Case

On July 5, 1989, C&B moved for summary judgment in the Liland case. Liland filed a cross motion for summary judgment. On August 23, 1989, the court granted Liland’s motion for summary judgment on the ground that Keller failed to strictly comply with the mechanic’s lien statute. On April 9, 1990, after an unsuccessful appeal to a single justice of the Appeals [272]*272Court, the court entered a final judgment for Liland. As to Getty, the court entered a default judgment against him in the amount of $9,502.35, plus interest and costs on April 23, 1990.

Keller appealed the trial court’s decision in favor of Liland. On December 7, 1992, the Appeals Court reversed the summaiy judgment in favor of Liland and remanded the case for further proceedings. Thereafter, Keller and Liland settled the lawsuit prior to trial.

Succession of Attorneys

When Keller initially retained C&B, Sanzo was an associate at the firm. Thereafter, from December 15, 1989 to November 5, 1990, Sanzo was an associate at the firm of M&O. Sanzo brought Keller’s file with her and continued to work on it in conjunction with Cullen. After Sanzo’s tenure with the firm ended, M&O sought compensation from C&B for the 69.7 hours that she spent on Keller’s file. Sanzo became a solo practitioner and continued to perform legal services for Keller. Subsequently, she moved to California and Keller’s file was returned to C&B.

In late 1991, upon the return of the file, Cullen and Correia, who was hired as an associate in March 1991, worked on Keller’s case. In March 1993, Correia left M&O and opened her own law practice as a solo practitioner. From March 1993 to August 1993, she continued to render legal services to Keller in conjunction with Cullen. Correia learned that Keller retained successor counsel in September or October 1993. On October 20, 1993, she filed some pleadings on Keller’s behalf.

On November 1, 1993, Correia and Gindes formed G&C, a law firm partnership. G&C performed no legal services for Keller, but on November 4, 1993, Correia sent him correspondence on the firm’s letterhead to notify him that a new trial date had been scheduled. On February 3, 1994, Correia filed a motion to withdraw as Keller’s attorney of record.

Procedural Histoiy of Legal Malpractice Action

On June 15, 1994, Keller filed a legal malpractice action against the following: the firm of C&B and its partners, Cullen and Butters; the firm of M&O and its partners, Morisi and O’Connell; the firm of G&C and its partners, Gindes and Correia; and Sanzo. In his complaint, Keller asserts counts for negligence, breach of contract, and violations of G.L.c. 93A. Specifically, Keller alleges that several attorneys and firms, at numerous times, committed several acts of legal malpractice throughout the periods they were retained to render legal services. All the defendants have denied Keller’s allegations and brought cross claims against one another for indemnity and contribution. Now before the court are motions for summary judgment by Defendants Gindes, G&C, Morisi, O’Connell, and M&O.

DISCUSSION

This court grants summary judgment where there are no genuine issues of material fact and where the summaiy judgment record entitles the moving party to judgment as a matter of law.

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