Fanaras Enterprises Inc. v. Law Offices of Doane

1 Mass. L. Rptr. 145
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedSeptember 7, 1993
DocketNo. 87-2612
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 1 Mass. L. Rptr. 145 (Fanaras Enterprises Inc. v. Law Offices of Doane) 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
Fanaras Enterprises Inc. v. Law Offices of Doane, 1 Mass. L. Rptr. 145 (Mass. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

Rouse, J.

This case arises out of a transaction in which the plaintiff, Fanaras Enterprises, Inc., lent money on an unsecured basis to the defendant Roger Allen Doane (Doane), who, at the time, was plaintiffs attorney on unrelated matters. When Doane failed to repay the loans, the plaintiff filed this action against him and the Law Offices of Roger Allen Doane (collectively referred to as the defendants) alleging negligence with regard to the loans and another transaction. Doane’s malpractice insurer, First State Insurance Company (First State) filed an intervenor’s complaint, seeking a declaration that there is no coverage for the plaintiffs claims under Doane’s professional liability policy because the claim was not first made and reported during the policy period. The matter is now before the court on First State’s motion for summary judgment and on the plaintiffs cross-motion for summary judgment on the grounds that the notice provisions of the policy have been complied with and that First State is required to defend and indemnify Doane.

BACKGROUND

Based on the affidavits and exhibits filed by the parties, the undisputed material facts are as follows. Joseph Fanaras (Fanaras) is the president, treasurer and sole stockholder of Fanaras Enterprises, Inc. which is engaged in the business of construction. In late 1982 or 1983, Fanaras retained Doane, an attorney who was at the time duly licensed in Massachusetts, as counsel for Fanaras Enterprises.2

Between August 20, 1986 and August 7, 1987, Fanaras lent substantial sums of money to Doane on an unsecured basis. The purpose of the loans was for construction work on property owned by Doane, as well as for a medical business venture in which Doane was engaged. Doane never offered to grant Fanaras a mortgage as security for the loans, nor were there any written loan agreements or promissoiy notes evidencing the indebtedness. Doane orally promised to repay the monies plus interest at a rate of eleven percent. Doane told Fanaras that he would repay the money when he mortgaged or sold property he owned in Newburyport. Doane failed to repay the loans. As of November 20, 1987, Doane owed Fanaras Enterprises the sum of $421,035.08.

OnAugust27,1987, the plaintiff first filed a lawsuit against Doane (Essex Superior Court Action No. 87-1882), seeking repayment of the loans that are at issue in this case and alleging a claim under G.L.c. 93A. Doane retained personal counsel in that matter.

On November 25, 1987, Fanaras Enterprises filed this action against the defendants. Count I alleges that the defendants were negligent in failing to (1) advise the plaintiff to secure the loans; (2) advise the plaintiff to seek independent legal advice; (3) advise the plaintiff of Doane’s intention to put substantial liens on Doane’s property; and (4) protect the plaintiffs interest when Doane mortgaged his property. Count II alleges that the defendants were negligent in failing to advise the plaintiff to secure a promissory note granted by it to another party and in failing to protect the plaintiffs interest with regard to that transaction.

The First State Policies

On or about October 25, 1986, First State issued a lawyer’s professional liability policy (the 1986/1987 policy) to Doane for the policy period October 25, 1986 to October 25, 1987 (No. LP23943). This policy was issued through First State’s authorized broker, Frank B. Hall & Company of Massachusetts (Hall). In October 1987, Doane submitted a renewal application to Hall, which then issued a policy (1987/1988 policy) for the period October 25, 1987 to October 25, 1988. On the renewal application, Doane indicated that a lawsuit was pending against him by Fanaras for money owed, but Doane indicated that no claim would be made under the 1986/1987 policy. In reliance on Doane's disavowal of any coverage for the Fanaras claim and another first made in 1987, First State renewed Doane’s policy automatically and without a surcharge that would have doubled his premiums. The 1987/1988 policy was later cancelled for non-payment of premium.

Both policies are “claims-made” policies. The 1986/1987 policy provides:

Except to such extent as may otherwise be provided herein, the coverage of this policy is limited generally to liability for only those claims that are first made against the insured and reported to the Company while the policy is in force.

The policy defines “claim” as “a demand received by the insured for money or services including service of suit or institution of arbitration proceedings against the insured.”

The 1986/1987 policy provided, in pertinent part, that the insured was required to give written notice as soon as practicable after “becoming aware of any act, error or omission which could reasonably be expected to be the basis of a claim or suit. . .” The policy also provides that a “claim shall be considered to be reported to the Company when the Company, or its authorized agent, first receives written notice of the [146]*146claim or an event which could reasonably be expected to give rise to a claim.”

Doane was served with process on the first Fanaras suit on September 1, 1987. By letter dated September 23, 1987, counsel for Fanaras informed Hall and First State of the plaintiffs claims against the defendants. On two occasions prior to October 25, 1987 (the expiration date of the 1986/1987 policy), Hall wrote to Doane, inquiring whether he intended to report the Fanaras claim under the First State Policy, but Hall received no response. Doane made no request for defense or indemnification from First State prior to the expiration of the 1986/1987 policy on October 25, 1987. OnMay21, 1993, more than five years after the claim was first made, Doane wrote to First State requesting that the company assist in his defense of the Fanaras claim by providing him with an attorney.

DISCUSSION

Summary judgment shall be granted where there are no material facts in dispute and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Cassesso v. Commissioner of Correction, 390 Mass. 419, 422 (1983); Community National Bank v. Dawes, 369 Mass. 550, 553 (1976); Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(c). The moving party bears the burden of affirmatively demonstrating the absence of a triable issue, and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Pederson v. Time, Inc., 404 Mass. 14, 16-17 (1989). Where the party moving for summary judgment does not have the burden of proof at trial, this burden may be met by either submitting affirmative evidence that negates an essential element of the opponent’s case or “by demonstrating that proof of that element is unlikely to be forthcoming at trial.” Flesner v. Technical Communications Corp., 410 Mass. 805, 809 (1991). Kourouvacilis v. General Motors Corp., 410 Mass. 706, 716 (1991). Once the moving party establishes the absence of a triable issue, the party opposing the motion must respond and allege specific facts establishing the existence of a genuinely disputed material fact in order to defeat the motion. Pederson, supra at 17.

The 1986/1987 policy is a “claims-made” policy. Such a policy covers the insured for claims made during the policy year and reported within that period regardless of when the covered act or omission occurred. Chas. T. Main, Inc. v. Fireman’s Fund Ins. Co., 406 Mass. 862, 864 (1990).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1 Mass. L. Rptr. 145, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fanaras-enterprises-inc-v-law-offices-of-doane-masssuperct-1993.