B. Elements

• Library: Elements of Civil Causes of Action (SCBar) (2021 Ed.)

B. Elements

The elements required to prove a claim of legal malpractice are:

(1) the existence of an attorney-client relationship;
(2) breach of a duty by the attorney;
(3) proximate causation; and
(4) damage to the client.⁷

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Notes:

^[7]Holy Loch Distributors, Inc. v. Hitchcock, 340 S.C. 20, 531 S.E.2d 282 (2000); Smith v. Haynsworth, Marion, McKay & Geurard, 322 S.C. 433, 472 S.E.2d 612 (1996); Hall v. Fedor, 349 S.C. 169, 561 S.E.2d 654 (Ct. App. 2002); Henkel v. Winn, 346 S.C. 14, 550 S.E.2d 577 (Ct. App. 2001). See also McNair v. Ransford, 330 S.C. 332, 499...