If you believe your lawyer hasn't properly represented you, and has harmed you in the process, you'll want to first try alternatives to litigation, such as:

• Discussing fee disputes with your attorney or engaging in fee dispute resolution with the State Bar
• Reporting potential ethics violations to your state bar association
• Hiring another lawyer to repair the damage to an ongoing case

If none of these alternatives brings you satisfaction, you may want to consider a legal malpractice claim. This type of case is difficult to prove, so you'll want to thoroughly investigate your chances of success before proceeding.

Every case is different, but legal malpractice is usually negligence.  Negligence happens when your attorney's processing of the your case isn't up to the standard of skill and care that would be expected of a competent attorney handling that particular kind of case. Most legal malpractice claims that end up in court are a result of lawyer negligence.