Must Read Monday Succession Planning
You’ve built a thriving practice through hard work and dedication, but have you ever considered what happens when it’s time to retire or in the event of an unexpected emergency?
What is succession planning?
Succession planning is essential to every lawyer’s practice, proactively protecting clients and colleagues in the event of disability or death.
Succession planning may not be at the top of your to-do list, but it’s crucial to ensuring the continued success of your practice and the protection of your clients. Take the time to develop a plan that reflects your values and goals. With the right tools and resources, you can leave your practice with confidence and peace of mind.
When should I consider succession planning?
Succession planning is imperative to all law firms, not just those close to retirement.
How do I go about succession planning?
Start planning early: Succession planning takes time, so it’s important to start thinking about it as soon as possible.
Identify a successor: Choose someone who shares your values and who you trust to take over your practice when you retire, become incapacitated or pass away.
Create a contingency plan: In case of unforeseen circumstances, have a contingency plan in place that is easily accessible to others and outlines what will happen to your practice if you become unable to work.
Seek professional advice: Consult with an attorney, financial planner or other professional who has experience in succession planning.
What key elements should be in my succession plan?
The ABA recommended items for an effective succession plan completed in conformity with applicable rules include, but are not limited to:
- Written instructions concerning how and where client information is stored, including bank and other account details (e.g., operating and trust account information);
- Information concerning disposition of closed client files, information about law office equipment leases or other contracts;
- Information regarding payment of current liabilities;
- Instructions to gain access to computer and voicemail passwords; and
- Information detailing how the successor will be compensated.
Succession planning resources:
Watch our CLE seminar Passing the Torch which demonstrates how a succession plan that follows the rules of the State Bar can benefit a law firm.
Alternatively, consider engaging with your preferred bar association, the California Lawyers Association, and / or a professional consultant, all of whom have tools and resources for succession planning.
Remember: Succession planning is a proactive step that may help prevent business interruptions in times of sudden illness or death. Protect yourself, your firm and your clients by considering a proper succession plan. For other general questions, our Member Benefits department is available at mbinfo@lawyersmutual.com
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Must Read Monday Understanding a Tail Policy
What is a tail policy or extended reporting endorsement?
An Extended Reporting Endorsement “ERE”, or commonly called a “tail”, is an endorsement that is put on your last active policy to create coverage for a claim that is reported after your policy expires, so long as there was a policy in place at the time the alleged error occurred. As lawyers professional liability (LPL) policies are claims made policies, without the purchase of the ERE/tail, all coverage will cease on the day the policy ends.
When should I purchase a tail policy or extended reporting endorsement?
When a solo retires or leaves private practice or when a firm either ceases operations or dissolves.
How much does a Lawyers’ Mutual tail / extended reporting endorsement cost?
- 1 year tail: 100% of your premium recalculated at the time of cancellation
- 3 year tail: 180% of your premium recalculated at the time of cancellation
- 5 year tail: 220% of your premium recalculated at the time of cancellation
- Lifetime tail: 285% of your premium recalculated at the time of cancellation
Our provisions for tail with costs is found in the Universal Policy at Section 2.6.
For more information, contact our Underwriting Department at info@lawyersmutual
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Must Read Monday Daily Journal
Through collaboration with the Daily Journal, California’s leading legal newspaper, Lawyers’ Mutual members will now have access to purchase an exclusive subscription offer to both print and digital publications.*
The Daily Journal provides California attorneys with the news and information they need. No other publication devotes more resources to serving California lawyers.
To obtain your exclusive member pricing, call or email the Daily Journal.
Phone: (866) 531-1492
Email: subscribe@dailyjournal.com
Be sure to have available:
- Your Lawyers’ Mutual client number (found in your policy documents)
- Delivery address for your Daily Journal subscription
*New subscribers to the Daily Journal will receive instant access to this offer and existing Daily Journal subscribers can take advantage at the time of their next subscription renewal. This offer is valid for annual subscriptions only.
Learn more about your new member benefit subscription offer to the Daily Journal here.
For any questions, please contact mbinfo@lawyersmutual.com
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Happy Presidents’ Day
Enjoy your Presidents Day
Lawyers’ Mutual remains thankful that you are a part of our member community.
Our office is closed Monday, February 20th and will reopen on Tuesday, February 21 with normal business hours from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Our contact information can be located here.
Must Read Monday Free Fastcase Subscription Renewed
Lawyers’ Mutual has just renewed your free annual subscription to Fastcase. If you have not accessed this free member benefit, now is the time to log in and see how Fastcase can work for you and your firm.
Established in 1999, Fastcase is a next-generation legal research system designed to democratize the law and encourage smarter legal practice with data and visualization tools.
Normally priced at $995 per lawyer annually, all members of Lawyers’ Mutual enjoy comprehensive and complete access to Fastcase FREE of charge.
Fastcase Premium Facts:
• Comprehensive access to the law.
• Advanced sorting tools.
• Visualization of search results with interactive timeline.
• Live webinars and on-demand training videos.
• Authority check with Bad Law Bot.
• Access to #1 legal mobile app.
Fastcase is a comprehensive research suite of primary law, treatises, legal blogs, analytics, workflow tools and legal news.
To access your free Fastcase member benefit, visit https://www.lawyersmutual.com/fastcase/
If you have not logged in to access Fastcase using your CLE portal log-in credentials or this is your first time logging in, please contact mcle@lawyersmutual.com for further assistance.
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One Day Left: Mandatory CA State Bar Compliance Deadline
This year’s compliance group is Group 3 (N-Z) and the deadline to report is tomorrow, January 31, 2023.
If you need additional special subjects (Ethics, Bias, Implicit Bias, or Competence Issues) CLEs, or more general CLE credit, Lawyers’ Mutual has everything you need to complete your CLE requirements.
Trending CLE Seminars*
- The Art of Graceful Disengagement (1.0/ Legal Ethics)
- The Ethics of Social Media and Attorney Competency (1.0/Legal Ethics)
- Civility in the Courtroom (1.0/Legal Ethics)
- Mitigating the Stress and Anxiety of Practicing Law (1.25/Competence Issues)
- Implicit Bias in the Legal Profession – From Recognition, to Response and Resolution (1.0/Implicit Bias)
Note: Rule 2.72 of the Rules of the State Bar was revised to increase the elimination of bias requirement from one hour to two and to establish a sub-topic devoted to implicit bias, effective with the 1/31/23 compliance period. At least one of those two hours must be focused on implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies to address how unintended biases regarding race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics undermine confidence in the legal system.
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