Do Not Let the Third Circuit’s Recent Decision in Liggon-Redding v. Estate of Robert Sugarman Scare You: An Alternative Method to Dispose of Meritless Legal Malpractice Actions Remains

On October 4, 2011, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Liggon-Redding v. Estate of Robert Sugarman, No. 08-4336 (3d Cir. 2011), held that Pennsylvania’s Certificate of Merit Rule “is substantive law under the Erie Rule and must be applied as such by federal courts.” This Alert discusses the recent decision and offers alternative methods to dispose of meritless claims. 

This Alert has been reprinted in the Chartis Insurance Winter 2012 issue of their newsletter, Legal Insights.