Coltart law firm unprofessional, judge declares

From Page 1 After Mr Addenbrooke’s conviction and sentence, Ms Mhere through her lawyers Majoko and Majoko Legal Practitioners approached the High Court seeking $15 000 compensation for the injuries she sustained during the accident. In her lawsuit, she cited Mr Addenbrooke as the defendant.

Mr Addenbrooke in turn engaged Mr Coltart’s law firm to defend the claim against him.

According to papers before the court, despite having been paid for the services, Webb, Low and Barry Legal Practitioners failed to properly handle the matter resulting in a default judgment against Mr Addenbrooke, which led to his property being attached.

Justice Bere condemned Mr Coltart and his partners for their conduct, saying they were liable for the “mess up” after assigning an inexperienced professional assistant to handle Mr Addenbrooke’s case.

He warned law firms against using junior lawyers to represent clients without supervision.

“The plaintiff ’s criminal conviction bears no significance to the negligence of the defendants. The conduct of the defendants’ professional assistant coupled with the conduct of an advocate they had engaged made them (defendants) vulnerable.

“They cannot escape liability. Perhaps this case is a clarion call to all law firms that it is a monumental risk for them to allow inexperienced young lawyers to represent clients with little supervision. Young and inexperienced lawyers must be kept on a tight leash until such a time that they are able to go about on their own to represent clients on behalf of the law firm,” he said. — @mashnets