Risk Management & Claims Prevention
Protecting the Team – A Firm’s Most Valuable Asset – by Encouraging Vacations
While the primary responsibility for wellness rests with the individual, nothing is more important to a law practice than its lawyers and staff. The “firm” – Big Law or a solo practice – can do nothing without people; the better those people feel, the more productive they will be, and the more profitable the firm… Read More »
Categories: Wellness and BalanceProtecting the Team – A Firm’s Most Valuable Asset – by Reducing Stress
While the primary responsibility for wellness rests with the individual, nothing is more important to a law practice than its lawyers and staff. The “firm” – Big Law or a solo practice – can do nothing without people; the better those people feel, the more productive they will be, and the more profitable the firm… Read More »
Categories: Wellness and BalanceRule 48 Transition Toolkit helps you avoid administrative dismissal claims
Effective January 1, 2015, a new Rule 48.14 brought significant changes to the administrative dismissal regime in Ontario. After several hundred claims and almost $10 million in claims costs in three and a half years, LAWPRO is happy to see old Rules 48.14 and 48.15 revoked. While the new rule may help stem the tide… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Limitations ClaimsSelf-assessment for lawyers: do I need help?
Lawyers are used to helping others with their problems. This can lead to viewing others – not ourselves – as the people with the problems. But lawyers are actually more likely than the population average to experience addiction or suffer from mental illness. Many worry that there is a potent stigma attached to being a… Read More »
Categories: Wellness and BalanceThe day-to-day stresses and challenges of being a lawyer
A sole practitioner and single mom is locked in a room in her house. Her young autistic son, outside the room, has put a chair up against the door to prevent it from opening. There is a lot of yelling and screaming. She calls 911 and the police arrive. One of the constables happens to… Read More »
Categories: Wellness and BalanceTexas lawyer arrested in relation to email frauds targeting law firms
The ABA Journal has reported that a Texas lawyer was arrested in relation to email debt collection frauds that have been plaguing law firms in recent years. The lawyer appears to have been running the fraud as part of an international criminal gang targeting lawyers in several countries, which matches information we’ve seen from a… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionFive Questions to Ask a New Client
Claims resulting from miscommunication or breakdowns in the lawyer/client relationship can often be traced back to the early stages of the retainer. Did the lawyer truly understand what the client wanted? Were the clients expectations reasonable? Merrilyn Astin Tarlton, writing in the Attorney At Work blog, gives five questions for new clients that lawyers should… Read More »
Categories: Communication ErrorsAre you putting your clients’ data at risk?
Sam Glover in The Lawyerist blog asks whether lawyers are making reasonable efforts to protect confidential client data his column 4 Ways Your Are Putting Your Client’s Information at Risk. What are reasonable efforts? Here are the four moderately easy steps lawyers can take to secure the information that has been entrusted to them (for… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention, Technology