Relevant. Affordable. Actionable.
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jul 15, 2020 12:00:00 AM
A lawyer called me wanting to discuss third-party payors because his representation of his client had just ended, and he didn’t know what to do with the excess funds that remained in trust. In light of that call, I thought it worthwhile to cover...
Read More
2 min read
Martha Amrine, Senior Claims Attorney: Jun 18, 2020 12:00:00 AM
The COVID-19 pandemic forced most law firms to conduct business in ways they had not done before. Many firms were forced to transition to work from...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jun 17, 2020 12:00:00 AM
I suspect more than a few law firms, particularly in the solo/small firm space, have yet to take the necessary time to draft and write up a...
1 min read
Karen Thalacker: Jun 8, 2020 12:00:00 AM
We’ve all had difficult clients. In the best of times, they can be a challenge but in the times we’re living in right now they can be even more...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Apr 15, 2020 12:00:00 AM
Solo and small firm lawyers continue to occasionally call in wanting to discuss a business opportunity that has come to be known as a “license...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Mar 18, 2020 12:00:00 AM
Occasionally a lawyer will reach out to me wanting clarification on what should be covered in a letter notifying active clients, whose matters the...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Mar 4, 2020 12:00:00 AM
I’ll admit that advertising missteps rarely garner much attention from those who enforce the Rules of Professional Conduct. This shouldn’t be much...
6 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jan 15, 2020 12:00:00 AM
Trust, which is built upon a lawyer’s ethical duty to keep all information relating to the representation of a client confidential, is the hallmark...
3 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Dec 18, 2019 12:00:00 AM
I’ve heard all kinds of crazy comments from lawyers over the years. For example, during a CLE event with a state bar’s ethics counsel sitting next...
4 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Nov 6, 2019 12:00:00 AM
Common reasons lawyers close their practices include a medical disability, wanting to retire, a move out-of-state, or a career change. While the...
2 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Oct 2, 2019 12:00:00 AM
I took a call worth sharing because the learning it provides serves as a good reminder about the perils that can arise from a failure to follow...
6 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Sep 4, 2019 12:00:00 AM
ABA MRPC Rule 1.4 Communication seems clear on its face. Attorneys are to keep clients reasonably informed about the status of their matters as well...
2 min read
Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Aug 27, 2019 12:00:00 AM
I recently asked several of our claims attorneys to identify the top habits they felt new lawyers should develop from day one. With one exception,...
