Attorney sued by couple for legal malpractice after representing them in legal malpractice suit

NEW ORLEANS – A St. Bernard Parish couple have filed a legal malpractice suit against an attorney they retained for another legal malpractice case.

Louis Diaz, Jr. and Tristan Diaz filed suit on Feb. 1 in Orleans Parish Civil District Court against Machelle R. Lee Hall and the law firm of F. Gerard Maples. The Diazes claim they retained Hall who was unsuccessful in pursuing a legal malpractice case against Lance V. Licciardi of Nicosia, Licciardi and Nunez, LLC. Licciardi was originally retained for an inheritance case they lost.

The plaintiffs state that Hall's alleged negligence resulted in the loss of their claims and that they are entitled to compensation for damages that could have been awarded in the lost case and emotional distress.

The Diazes are represented by Covington-based attorney Jacques F. Bezou.

The case was assigned to Division N Judge Ethel S. Julien.

Case number 2012-00993