How to resolve a potential error might not be obvious, but one thing is always 100 percent clear: covering up the mistake is wrong.
Engagement letters are vital to good representation because clients who are well informed from the start are more likely to be satisfied at the end.
An ABA study shows technology innovations may be helping lawyers reduce administrative errors, but risk management is still important. If technology is not used properly, or if lawyers’ record-keeping is sloppy, a malpractice claim might be just around the corner.
As with many types of emergencies, planning what you’ll do if cyber criminals attack your firm will also reduce the likelihood of being hacked in the first place.
The best advice for many lawyers contemplating adding new clients or cases is to think globally but practice locally. The risks of expanding beyond your state’s borders to meet clients’ needs include lack of knowing another state’s procedures and laws, getting outside your own comfort zone, and not understanding the jurisdiction in which the case resides.
Whether client files are in boxes in the basement or in electronic folders in the cloud, lawyers must know how to preserve them safely and when to dispose of or delete them.
Give yourself a stamp of approval if you can pass this quiz on the duties of Wisconsin notary publics.
Although lawyers’ highest duty of care is owed to their own clients, in estate planning matters lawyers must be aware of the malpractice-related risk of disappointing non-client beneficiaries.
Suing clients for fees is not forbidden, but the risks of doing so are sufficiently high that lawyers should take all possible steps to prevent fee disputes from occurring in the first place.
Communication mistakes account for 25 percent of malpractice claims at WILMIC and are among the most frequent grievances filed with the OLR. Avoid communication breakdown with clients by following effective communication practices.
