Professional Adjusters, Inc. v. Tandon

After the Tandons' (defendants) insurer offered an unacceptable settlement for fire damage to their mobile home, they hired state-certified public adjusters, Professional Adjusters (plaintiff), to independently evaluate their losses and negotiate a higher settlement, which was successfully obtained; the Tandons then hired an attorney to finalize the deal and refused to pay Professional Adjusters, arguing its services constituted the unlicensed practice of law. The trial court dismissed Professional Adjusters's suit to recover its fee.