About Tim Lemieux
Tim Lemieux is the CPSR and Claims Analyst at LAWPRO. He investigates TitlePLUS title insurance claims, and analyses LAWPRO claims data to aid in the creation of the practicePRO initiative risk management presentations, articles and web content for lawyers.
Tim Lemieux's Posts
U.S. Federal Trade Commission releases cybersecurity resources for small businesses
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has just released cybersecurity resources for small business. They were developed after the FTC hosted roundtables to ask business owners what they needed to deal with the threat of cybercrime. While not specifically aimed at law firms, the cyber issues and dangers they face are often the same as any… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention, TechnologyFraudsters impersonating firms to divert real estate deposit funds
In the article “Danger: When a hacker emails you instructions in the name of your client” we warned lawyers to be aware of the danger of fake emails from the client attempting to redirect funds in a real estate purchase. In a new twist on this scam, a firm informed us that their client was… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionArrests made in the U.S. of fraudsters involved in email impersonation scams
Here’s a rare bit of good news when it comes to fraud and cybercrime. Housingwire.com reports that several fraudsters have been arrested in the U.S.. The scams they are accused of running include hacking firm email accounts to redirect funds from real estate transactions to their own bank accounts. See Danger: When a Hacker Emails… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionThe new Fraud Fact Sheet for Cybercrime and Bad Cheque Scams
There has been a huge growth in cybercrime attempts against lawyers and firms, who must now be on guard against bad cheque frauds, phishing, funds transfer frauds and attempts to hack firm information. We have published a new 4-page Cybercrime and Bad Cheque Scams Fraud Fact Sheet (PDF) to help lawyers spot the red flags… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionEquipment purchase scam using the names Peter Gerstmann and Zeppelin Group
Two Ontario firms have notified us that they received an email from the purported Harrison Kinsman of Deqishan Medical Works looking to retain them with regards to making a large commercial purchase. This appears to be a bad cheque scam (with a real company likely being impersonated) that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance… Read More »
Categories: Equipment / Inventory Purchase Fraud, Fraud WarningsLaw Society name change
As announced on November 2, 2017, the Law Society of Upper Canada is changing it’s name to the Law Society of Ontario. LAWPRO congratulates our parent organization on this transformative initiative. Watch for changes in LAWPRO’s print and digital documents in coming months, as we implement usage of the new name. For more information on… Read More »
Categories: AnnouncementsBeware of funds transfer frauds over the holidays – BC firm defrauded for six figures
The Law Society of British Columbia published the following warning to its members on December 15, 2017. A BC law firm has fallen victim to the sophisticated “phony direction to pay” social engineering fraud. Here’s what happened. The perpetrators hacked the firm’s computer, and then monitored the firm’s email traffic for some time before making… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionNew in the practicePRO Library: Unbundled Legal Services – A Family Lawyer’s Guide
Focusing on family law practitioners, Unbundling Legal Services is a particularly appropriate resource given the unique promise that unbundling holds for family law litigants. In many jurisdictions, self-representation rates are highest in family cases. But, as any family law attorney (or family court litigant) knows, these are the case types that arguably benefit most from… Read More »
Categories: Biggest Claims Risks, Risk Management Strategies, Family Law