Professional Liability Matters

LATEST INSIGHTS

January 16, 2014 • Legal Malpractice, Professional Liability Matters

The Limits of Limited Scope Representation

Courts are facing an unprecedented number of pro se litigants. Whether due to the economy, a changing attitude over litigation, technology, or other causes, courts flooded with pro se litigants have struggled to come up with a solution. In certain practice areas such as family law and property cases a high percentage of all suits involve at least one unrepresented party. This places an administrative stress on the courts. Some jurisdictions are experimenting with a potential answer to the “pro se problem” through the use of limited scope representation or “unbundled” legal services. The idea is to reduce the costs of representation and increase access to the courts. This is appealing to an overburdened court but poses some significant ethical issues for attorneys.

January 15, 2014 • Professional Liability Matters, Risk Management

Managing Client Expectations – A Must for Professionals

Managing client expectations is a critical risk management skill necessary to ensure a healthy professional relationship. Every communication provides an opportunity to revisit and redefine expectations. A professional who sets and fails to deliver upon lofty expectations is in an uncomfortable and potentially litigious situation. There are several tools available to the professional to help curb expectations and limit the damage when (inevitably) the result doesn’t go as planned.

January 14, 2014 • Engagement Letters, Legal Malpractice, Professional Liability Matters, Risk Management

First Circuit Enforces Arbitration Clause in LPL Suit

Professional Liability Matters has previously advocated the benefits of a well-drafted mediation or arbitration agreement in the professional engagement letter. The judicious application of alternative dispute resolution can help to mitigate costs, expedite conflict, and preserve business relationships. Although an ADR provision can lead to efficient resolution of the substance of a professional liability suit, invoking the provision itself can sometimes lead to contentious litigation in its own right.

January 9, 2014 • Legal Malpractice, Professional Liability Matters

Better Call Saul? Not Always. The Risks of the Negligent Referral

Fans of the popular series “Breaking Bad” will be familiar with the trials and tribulations of Saul Goodman, an attorney who frequently receives and accepts referrals to handle all types of legal issues. Saul provides the perfect example of the real world risks facing referring attorneys when the subsequent professional commits malpractice.

January 8, 2014 • Design Professionals (A&E), Professional Liability Matters

When Negligence = Murder: Follow-Up Report

On February 26, 2013 we posted this piece regarding an architect facing manslaughter charges arising from the death of an LA firefighter. At the time we posed this unprecedented issue: Can defective design lead to criminal liability? We’re now in a position to definitively answer that question: “yes,” given that the architect just received a one-year jail sentence.

January 7, 2014 • Legal Malpractice, Professional Liability Matters, Technology

Virtual Offices may Violate Ethics Rules

Recent technological advances have made it relatively easy for professionals to maintain a virtual office. A wireless connection may be all that is needed to practice, without the stress of lease payments, utilities, commuting expenses and other costs. Some attorneys have taken advantage of technology to maintain out-of-state offices in order to appeal to a larger client base. But, despite the various temptations to utilize a virtual office, there are serious risks of doing so.

January 2, 2014 • Cyber-Liability, Professional Liability Matters

Cybercrime Strikes Target Corp

Target Corporation, the nation’s number two general retailer (after Wal-Mart), was recently the center of a cybercrime attack that may have compromised as many as 40 million credit and debit card accounts. Target revealed that a third-party had breached its security safeguards during the height of the holiday shopping season and gained access to private customer data, including shoppers’ names, credit card numbers, expiration dates, and three-digit security codes. This highly publicized debacle highlights the risks of cyber exposure.

December 31, 2013 • Professional Liability Matters, Risk Management

New Year’s Resolutions for the Professional

Maybe 2014 will be the year that you stick to your New Year’s resolutions. While weight loss, charitable giving, drinking less, learning something new, and quitting smoking top the list of most common goals for next year, your friends at PL Matters suggest adding a few resolutions. We’ve taken a close look at what has interested you the most in 2013 and based on that data we’ve compiled a list of lessons taken from our collection of posts for you to incorporate into your 2014 planning. Here’s to making 2014 a more productive and risk free year by reflecting upon what we’ve learned in 2013.

December 20, 2013 • Professional Liability Matters, Professional Liability Monthly

Special Edition: Professional Liability Monthly Compendium 2013

Click here for this special edition of the Professional Liability Monthly Compendium 2013. We have compiled all the Featured Articles from the past year along with the year’s most popular blog posts.. For your convenience, we have linked each author’s name in the newsletter to their online biographies in the event you would like more information …

December 18, 2013 • Insurance Products, Professional Liability Matters, Risk Management

Application of the Innocent Insured Clause

Professional Liability Matters has repeatedly stressed the importance of accurate, timely and careful reporting of potential claims. Whether it be during the application or renewal process or somewhere down the road, most insureds are contractually obligated to report threatened claims. This requires that the organization solicit responses from all professionals (which can be a logistical problem for larger organizations). Many firms submit a short questionnaire that must be answered by everyone. But how is coverage implicated for the organization when one bad apple knowingly conceals a claim?