Kofoed

These two cases arise out of the same transactions, and the questions involved depend to a great extent upon the same state of facts: They were tried together in the superior court, and were argued and submitted together here. A brief general statement will suffice to show the nature of the main controversy—a more particular statement will be made in connection with the points in which the cases differ.

On the 30th of June, 1891, a judgment was entered and docketed in the superior court of Los Angeles in favor of the defendant Cosby and against the plaintiff John C. Kofoed, for about two thousand five hundred dollars, for which sum a lien thereby attached to all of the real property of said Kofoed in Los Angeles county, consisting of numerous parcels. Kofoed was at that date, and thereafter continued to be, involved and embarrassed in his pecuniary affairs. In this situation he employed the defendant Gordon, an attorney at law, in his professional capacity, to assist him in extricating himself from his difficulties, and authorized him, among other things, to negotiate with Cosby for a compromise and release of his judgment of June 30, 1891.

Gordon seems to have acted in the…