Articles
Lessons I learned while articling
In past issues of the student edition of LAWPRO Magazine, we’ve asked our articling students to reflect on what they wished they’d learned in law school. This time around, students Margaux Malkina and Noam Uri offered a slightly different perspective: they talked about some of the new insights that articling has brought them. Sometimes, there… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, Law students/new lawyers, New LawyersResolve to get your law practice off to the best possible start
Professional liability claims can take the wind out of the sails of anyone’s legal career, but can be especially demoralizing for a new lawyer. Your best chance at avoiding claims is to develop great working habits right from the start. Here are some practice ‘resolutions’ that you may want to consider. Want more? Read the… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, Law students/new lawyers, Legal Careers, New LawyersSample interview questions
Prepare in advance to increase your chances of a successful interview. How would you answer these questions? Background questions: Tell me a little about yourself. What made you decide on law school? What do you hope to get out of a legal career? What do you know about [our firm]? How do you think [our… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, Law students/new lawyers, Legal Careers, New LawyersLAWPRO’s best claims prevention tools and resources
Nobody wants to deal with a malpractice claim – but 4 out of 5 Ontario lawyers will have at least one claim made against them in their careers. When a claim occurs, it is nice for the lawyer and client to have the LAWPRO insurance program in place, especially when claims arise out of honest… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, New LawyersNew lawyer cyber dangers and how to avoid them
Like the local bank, your practice holds valuable information and money. Your computer systems may contain client information, trade secrets, and intellectual property. Your trust accounts have large sums of money. A cyber breach or trust account theft will harm your clients and potentially cripple your practice. Security guards, specialized safes, and sophisticated procedures protect… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, Cyber dangers, Fraud, Law students/new lawyers, Legal Technology, New Lawyers, Tech TipsStress management for law students (2016)
We all know what law school stress looks like. Come exam time, we see its physical manifestations: the law student, hibernating in the law library, subsisting on a diet of coffee and candy, sits surrounded by mountains of books, empty cans of energy drinks and an arsenal of highlighters. We recognize the bloodshot eyes and… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, Law students/new lawyers, New Lawyer Issue, New Lawyers, Wellness, WellnessTowards a new understanding
Having written my Master’s major research paper on the interaction between aboriginal title and statutory land registration systems, I have had some vicarious exposure to the experiences of Indigenous people with the law. It was an eye-opening experience to learn some of the profound differences in fundamental assumptions regarding governance, law, the land and our… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Articles, Editorials, Indigenous clientsProviding high quality service to Indigenous clients
Just as the final research for this article was being completed in November, newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his Cabinet, including the appointment of Jody Wilson-Raybould as Minister of Justice and Attorney General. The next morning, a cautiously hopeful mood filled the room as a group of Aboriginal lawyers gathered at the Law Society… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Aboriginal, Articles, Communications Errors, Dabbling, Diversity, Failure to Know The Law, Features, Inadequate Investigation, Indigenous clientsPotential claims related to serving Indigenous clients
We hope that January 2016 issue of LAWPRO Magazine has contributed to your understanding of the incredible breadth and complexity of “Aboriginal law.” We would not be fulfilling our risk management mandate, however, if we didn’t contribute our own perspective as claims prevention specialists. To avoid claims, lawyers need to know how they develop. What… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Aboriginal, Articles, Communications Errors, Failure to Know The Law, Features, Inadequate Investigation, Indigenous clients, Practice TipsFour things that can lead to a denial of coverage under your LAWPRO policy
Insurance is different from other types of contracts. Besides the ongoing obligations (as described in the policy’s terms and conditions) that exist between the insurer and insured, there is also a duty of utmost good faith (uberrimae fidei, for you Latin fans). Just as an insurance carrier can’t act in bad faith in denying a… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Articles, Errors & Omissions, LAWPRO policy