While COVID-19 requires lawyers to become creative in our effort to move our clients cases along, in keeping with our ethical duty to zealously represent our clients, it is critical to remember that such conversations may not be considered “confidential.” When we speak with a client or a client’s agent, such as a consulting expert, those conversations are considered confidential and protected from disclosure to our adversaries . . .
In 2004, I filed – and successfully won, a lawsuit against the Vatican, designed to overcome its arguments that it could not be held accountable for acts by pedophile priests occurring on US. soil. This was done following the litigation and settlement of a case with the Archdiocese of Louisville, KY. Because of our work, the Vatican is not immune from suits by US survivors of priest sexual abuse of children. But the Louisville Courier Journal’s stunning revelation this past week of yet another situation demonstrates that the Church continues to hide and protect its known serial pedophiles over the interests of the children of the Church . . .
Extensive experience in representing survivors of sexual abuse is not something an attorney takes lightly. It means that said attorney has gained the trust of sexual abuse survivors who are hurt, who carry often years of baggage, who seek validation and are in need of an advocate. Over the years, I have often been the first person survivors of sexual abuse have opened up to because they have come to me to help them with their many legal questions. Sometimes it starts with the question “do I have a case after all these years.” And that begins our attorney/client relationship . . .
In 2014, William F McMurry was inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame. He was recognized as one of thirty-five people nominated that year in recognition for having improved quality of life in the areas of human and civil rights.
Since 2011, the number of claims against lawyers which resolved by the accused lawyer’s paying the aggrieved client in the range of between $1 million and $5 million has increased by 940%.
