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A suspended New Jersey attorney, John Mavroudis, has successfully defended himself against a malpractice complaint filed by fellow attorney Helen Davis Chaitman, who accused him of providing faulty legal advice in a real estate dispute that exposed her to her own malpractice suit. The Bergen County Superior Court granted summary judgment in favor of Mavroudis, effectively dismissing Chaitman’s claims.

NJ Atty Malpractice Claims : Background of the Case

The legal battle began after Chaitman, a Hackensack real estate developer and attorney, was sued in July 2022 by her former clients, George and Yvonne Callas. The siblings accused Chaitman of using deficient expert reports during a legal dispute with their uncle over a property in Edgewater, New Jersey, and demanded damages for what they claimed were unreasonable legal fees.

In response, Chaitman filed a third-party complaint in November 2022, arguing that Mavroudis was responsible for giving her incompetent legal advice, which she claimed led to her exposure to the malpractice claims by the Callas siblings. She alleged that Mavroudis had provided legal advice in "numerous" phone conferences and meetings with the Callas siblings and sometimes met with them without her presence.

NJ Atty Malpractice Claims : Court's Decision and Reaction

Judge William C. Soukas of the Bergen County Superior Court ruled in favor of Mavroudis on July 26, granting summary judgment and dismissing Chaitman's claims. The judge did not issue a written opinion with his decision.

Eric Inglis, Mavroudis's attorney, praised the court's ruling, describing Mavroudis as a "good Samaritan" who was unjustly targeted for offering friendly advice. Mavroudis argued in court that his interactions with Chaitman were merely collegial advice—a common practice among attorneys—and that he had never represented the Callas siblings, thereby negating any grounds for a malpractice claim.

Mavroudis warned that allowing Chaitman’s claims to proceed could deter lawyers from providing informal advice to colleagues, which is a routine and valued part of legal practice. He also sought sanctions against Chaitman for filing the complaint, though Judge Soukas denied this request.

Mavroudis's Legal Standing

Mavroudis, admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1974, is currently suspended from practicing law due to an unrelated incident involving the smuggling and auctioning of a $1.6 million Impressionist painting in 2013, which he did to avoid a civil judgment. His suspension in New Jersey began in July 2023, and he also faced a reciprocal suspension in Florida. As of mid-August, Mavroudis has not been reinstated in New Jersey.

Chaitman and her firm were represented by attorneys from Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP, while Mavroudis was defended by Schenck Price Smith & King LLP.