Cerda Law Offices sued for legal malpractice

A Chicago attorney and his practice are being sued for legal malpractice.

Manuel Rivera filed a lawsuit March 12 in the Cook County Circuit Court against David A. Cerda and Cerda Law Offices, citing legal malpractice.

The complaint states Rivera retained Cerda to provide legal services in pursuit of a claim against the town of Cicero and its police officers. On Sept. 16, 2010, Cerda filed the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiff, according to the complaint.

Rivera claims Cicero filed a motion for summary judgment and Cerda failed to file a timely response, which resulted in summary judgment being granted in favor of the town of Cicero.

He is seeking damages in excess of the jurisdictional limits, plus costs, and is being represented by Thomas G. Gardiner, John R. Wrona and Shannon V. Condon of Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L003002.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Cook County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.