HIGH-STAKES LITIGATION

High-Value Disputes, Elder Financial Abuse, Business Litigation

The “success-based” contingent-fee model also works well outside of traditional personal injury litigation, as clients want a lawyer who is willing to forego a fee until the result is achieved. What is “high risk” or “high value” litigation?  Generally speaking, it is more than just a case with a large sum of money at stake, although that is the most common reason to classify a case as “high stakes.”  For example, is there a real chance of losing the case or failing to realize the result?  Will litigating require great expense?  Does the case present a complicated legal question?  Can the result affect the client’s ability to conduct business? These are a few of the results from the past several years:

• Jury verdict of over $240,000, by applying the theory of “undue influence” and recovering an investment account. Ethan acted on behalf of a family whose father developed early-onset dementia and was persuaded to transfer the account to a girlfriend.
• Jury verdict of $389,000 in an eminent domain case.
• Settlement of $500,000 for a minority shareholder of a close corporation resulting from a business-dissolution lawsuit.
• Settlement of over $400,000 for a minority shareholder of a close corporation resulting from another business-dissolution lawsuit.

In 2018, Attorney Ethan Vessels was honored to be named among “America’s Top 100 High-Stakes Litigators” for Ohio.  To be selected, an attorney must have litigated for a matter with at least $2 million in alleged damages or involved the fate of a company worth at least $2 million.  The screening further includes broad criteria of professional experience, significant case results, and representative high stakes matters.  

Click here to read our recent blog, Recent Cases: Specialized Injury.