Relevant. Affordable. Actionable.
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Oct 18, 2023 10:00:00 AM
What happens in your firm if there’s a hit during a conflicts check? Hopefully, the conflict concern is immediately brought to the attention of the intake attorney. In firms that routinely and systematically check for conflicts, this does occur. Is...
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7 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Sep 20, 2023 8:00:00 AM
Engagement letters seem to be one of those documents most lawyers intellectually appreciate the value of but often underutilize. This letter simply...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Sep 7, 2023 10:00:00 AM
Co-counsel relationships are sometimes formed “on the fly,” meaning no thorough discussion as to who will be responsible for whatever occurs. This...
6 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Aug 2, 2023 10:25:00 AM
Particularly in the solo and small firm setting, conflict missteps are often not a “whoops, we missed that name” kind of thing. More often the...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Aug 1, 2023 10:24:57 AM
I know lawyers get tired of hearing it and risk folk like me get tired of always having to say it; but there is real value in documenting scope of...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jul 31, 2023 10:24:34 AM
Over the years I have found a real disparity among attorneys as to their willingness to write non-engagement letters. You know the one. It’s that...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jun 28, 2023 11:56:53 AM
I continue to be surprised at the number of times I learn that a law firm turned over complete oversight of client property to a non-attorney member...
4 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jun 14, 2023 7:00:00 AM
The two most common excuses I’ve heard over the years for not having a succession plan in place are these. It’s either “my plan is to die at my...
5 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jun 7, 2023 7:00:00 AM
Trust account problems remain one of the top reasons attorneys are disciplined here in the US. And while there have been and will continue to be...
4 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: May 24, 2023 7:00:00 AM
I once came across a comment on a blog post about attorneys sharing office space that stated malpractice insurance companies and those who write our...
6 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: May 10, 2023 8:00:00 AM
Like you, I’ve been a consumer for years and the older I get the more I’ve come to recognize the impact of first impressions on my spending...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Apr 19, 2023 6:30:00 AM
Some people seem to struggle when it comes to saying no. Perhaps they view it as requiring them to be confrontational and confronting someone can be...
2 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Mar 15, 2023 11:06:31 AM
An estate planning firm asked me to review several sample Consent to Joint Representation forms they were using with their clients; and what I found...
