Legal Profession Commons^™

An Attorney's Right To Retain Fees Derived From A Fraudulent Law Suit, Leonard Pertnoy

Faculty Articles

The remedy of restitution, used to prevent unjust enrichment, is a fundamental right firmly entrenched in the common law. This is especially true in cases where a victim seeks equitable relief to require the return of money or property obtained as a result of fraud. However, should the defrauded person always be entitled to be made whole? Similarly, the remedy of forfeiture is also a deeply rooted legal concept, finding its beginnings in early English common law. Originally, forfeiture was a punishment annexed by law to some illegal act. However, the concept of deodand now not only includes forfeiture of …