Risk Management & Claims Prevention
Profile of an internal fraudster
According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners companies lose 5% of their annual revenues to fraud, with a median loss amount of $145,000. And law firms are not immune to this. The Lawyers Mutual of North Carolina blog has posted a “profile of a fraudster“, that can help firms learn to spot the red… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention“Taking Control of Your Mood” by Homewood Human Solutions
LAWPRO believes that helping lawyers improve their personal health and workplace effectiveness can reduce the likelihood of claims, and financially supports the Law Society’s Member Assistance Program (MAP), which is administered by Homewood Human Solutions (HHS). Homewood offers a number of e-Learning Courses that lawyers can do from their desks, and from time to time… Read More »
Categories: Wellness and BalanceWhen You Find Yourself Needing A Mentor, It’s Too Late
The other day I received a call from a lawyer I didn’t know seeking help regarding a legal issue I had no expertise in. He was in court, had stepped out for a bit, and called me wanting emergency legal advice on an issue he was going to speak to in 5 minutes. Unfortunately, despite… Read More »
Categories: Career Management, Risk Management StrategiesDon’t Let Fear Take Over Your Practice
Recently I experienced a night of cold sweats, anxiety, and dread. It all began with a family ski trip to Radium, Alberta. We were looking forward to enjoying the hot springs, the bighorn sheep, and the majesty of the Canadian Rockies. While there we planned to spend some time at the local ski resort. When… Read More »
Categories: Biggest Claims Risks, Civil Litigation, Communication Errors, Law Practice Management, Limitations Claims, Practice Aids, Risk Management Strategies, Wellness and BalanceWhen taking instructions isn’t taking instructions
How does a diverse population and profession affect our ability as lawyers to settle files, facilitate the purchase of homes, and help businesses grow? It turns out that a number of claims have arisen in recent years where either lawyers have made bad assumptions about their racialized clients, or where racialized lawyers have been taken… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Diversity, Risk Management StrategiesFraud report for February 2015
The pace of fraud emails and posts slowed somewhat in February compared to the previous month. We received 166 emails from lawyers (down from 187) and posted on 9 new fraud attempts (half the posts of January). The could partly be the result of a shortened month. 54% of the emails this month came from… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionHow simple mistakes can lead to large claims
It’s easy to think that, at least in your office, a major claim couldn’t possibly happen. But LAWPRO’s experience shows that errors, innocent oversights and gaffes in any type of practice can lead to big problems. And if you or your firm don’t have adequate insurance in place to address the claim, you could be… Read More »
Categories: Biggest Claims RisksFour digital security risks at law firms
Joyce Brafford, a Law Practice Management Advisor, reminds lawyers in this LinkedIn article that keeping client information confidential “goes beyond just locked filing cabinets.” She lists four areas in which law firms may not be doing enough to ensure security: passwords, security programs, segregation of data, and encryption. The increased cybersecurity steps she recommends are… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention