PORTLAND (AP) — A jury has awarded $1.1 million to the owners of an Aroostook County potato seed farm who claimed in a lawsuit that their defense lawyer failed to properly represent them in a previous case.

The jury ruled for Vaughn and Mary Sleeper of Island Falls last week after a five-day trial in Portland.

The Sleepers hired Daniel Lilley’s firm in 2001 to represent them and their business, Sleeper Hill Farms, against Agway Inc., the New York-based agricultural conglomerate. The Sleepers alleged Agway withheld money from them.

The Sleepers said Lilley, one of Maine’s most high profile defense lawyers, didn’t do his job properly.

Lilley told the Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/1gjbDcI ) he was surprised by the verdict because he won $128,000 for the Sleepers. He says he plans to appeal.