About LAWPRO
Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company (LAWPRO) is owned by the Law Society of Upper Canada and is licensed to provide professional liability insurance and title insurance in numerous jurisdictions across Canada. Through its malpractice insurance program, LAWPRO insures over 25,000 practising lawyers in Ontario, as well as providing them with risk and practice management information under the practicePRO banner.
LAWPRO's Posts
[LAWPRO Alert] Clarifications on implementation of provincial land transfer tax changes
The information in this Alert is dated. Please visit our Always up-to-date LTT and NRST Frequently Asked Questions webpage for the most current information. [The following is a LAWPRO Alert that LAWPRO sent to all Ontario lawyers with REPCO coverage on April 21, 2017] This afternoon the Ministry of Finance posted an update that clarifies… Read More »
Categories: Announcements, Real EstateTop reasons files stall
Whether you run a lean and mean or volume-oriented personal injury practice, certain files are more prone to languish than others. What’s the real cost of running a file for too long? Work-in-progress accumulates with little to show for it, expert reports grow stale and need to be updated (which significantly increases disbursements), witnesses’ memories… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Limitations ClaimsWant a challenge-proof will? Think like a (wannabe) beneficiary
As a lawyer, you have likely been trained to maintain a laser focus on your client’s interests and how to express and defend them. Being a fierce advocate is usually a good thing. But when preparing a will for a client, it can be a useful exercise, once you have a good first draft, to… Read More »
Categories: Wills & EstatesRECO issues public advisory regarding John Van Dyk
The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) is warning members of the public not to engage in real estate transactions with John Van Dyk, of Chatham, Ontario. Neither he nor his company J. Van Dyk Realty Inc. are registered to trade in real estate. In order to trade in real estate in Ontario, salespersons and… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionThe importance of reporting letters
From both a client communication and a claims prevention perspective, reporting letters may be among the most important documents in a lawyer’s file. Reporting letters support client communication by describing the work that has been completed and the results achieved. Good reporting letters should also communicate whether any issues remain to be resolved or tasks… Read More »
Categories: Communication ErrorsSelf-Represented Litigants: A Survival Guide by Carol Cochrane
Why do we all shudder on learning that our client’s adversary is self-represented on a litigation file? So often we fail to appreciate opposing counsel – until we hear those dreaded words from our client: “You know, the other side won’t be getting a lawyer.” It is only then that we realize and appreciate the… Read More »
Categories: Risk Management Strategies, Family Law, Civil LitigationTo avoid real estate claims: take instructions from the party with value at risk
If you’ve read even just the title of today’s risk management post, you’re on your way to avoiding a real estate claim. For seasoned real estate lawyers, the process of taking instructions, formulating or answering requisitions, and closing the deal can become, to a large extent, routine. An “ordinary” set of instructions with respect to… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate10 Common Mortgage Blunders You Can Easily Avoid
The Smiths (seemingly friendly and genuine people) walk into your law office with what appears to be a straightforward real estate deal including mortgage financing, for which you are to represent the lender as well. But, is it really that straightforward? Consider this: a high percentage of claims are caused by communication errors, inadequate investigation,… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate