Category: LAWPRO Magazine
Title insurance policies are like a box of chocolates – No two policies are the same
“The lawyer should be knowledgeable about title insurance and discuss with the client the advantages, conditions, and limitations of the various options and coverages generally available to the client through title insurance,” states Rule 2.02(10) of the Rules of Professional Conduct. This obligation was brought home in a recent malpractice case where the lawyer did… Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Real Estate, Title insurance, TitlePLUSDoes your firm have a social media policy?
So your firm has one or more social media accounts they use to deliver its message. But do you have a social media policy for your employees to use? In this day and age, many of your employees have personal (Facebook) and professional (LinkedIn) accounts that may be effectively associated with the firm, based on… Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Firm Management, Social MediaWarning: Insurers can ‘contract out’ of the Limitations Act, 2002 in ‘non-consumer’ policies
The law of limitations applicable to insurance claims has entered a period of uncertainty, arising in part from insurers’ ability to “contract out” of the Limitations Act, 2002 (LA 2002) where the insured is not a “consumer.” Claims on group long-term disability policies may prove especially hazardous. This article discusses this new development, and touches… Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Casebook, Civil Litigation, Failure to Know The Law, Limitation PeriodsWhen waiving a search comes back to haunt you
How a client perceives a lawyer’s role in a transaction often depends on the client’s experience. At one end of the spectrum, a new homebuyer may believe that the lawyer will not only navigate the process, but will also personally shield the client from all risks. At the other extreme, a sophisticated businessperson may urge… Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Could This Happen to You?, Inadequate Investigation, Real EstateSubdivision control under the Planning Act: What do you need to know?
This is a shortened version of an article that appeared on August 1, 2014 in the TitlePLUS Today newsletter. See the full version at practicepro.ca/subdivision-control See update for additional amendments June 1, 2022 The subdivision and part lot control provisions of section 50 of the Planning Act are lengthy and complex. It can be difficult… Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Practice Tips, Real EstateTools and strategies for lawyers with vision impairments
Toronto lawyer Ernst Ashurov was born with limited vision, and an eye injury in childhood left him almost completely blind; yet he runs a criminal and general litigation practice. In the first few years of his career, he was able to read print using extreme magnification glasses; but by 2006 he could no longer read…. Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Legal Technology, Tech TipsShort reads for better practice management
Many of the most popular recent additions to the practicePRO Lending Library have been from the ABA’s “One Hour” series. These books present practice management and technology topics in a format that can be read in (more or less) an hour. We’ve added three new titles to the Library. Legal Project Management In One Hour… Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Book Review, Finances, Firm Management, Legal TechnologyHow do you prepare for the unknown?
As an insurance company, LAWPRO addresses that question every day. We have claims professionals, financial analysts and actuaries to help us and our insureds understand and prepare for what might happen – from the malpractice errors we see year after year (e.g. lawyer/client communications) to new technology dangers that put information and trust accounts at… Read More »
Categories: 2014 June - Year in Review 2013, Articles, Editorials2013 financial results explained
Net premiums: $106.5 million Net LAWPRO revenues in 2013 were $106.5 million. Premiums from the mandatory insurance program were $2.1 million higher than in 2012, largely due to a greater-than expected growth in the number of lawyers joining the mandatory program. Net claims: $96.7 million Net claims and adjustment expenses for 2013 decreased by $9.4… Read More »
Categories: 2014 June - Year in Review 2013, Articles, Year in ReviewPremium stability is the result of nimble adjustments
Coverage LAWPRO’s base premium has held steady at $3,350 since 2011; but like a sailboat that tacks carefully first in one direction then the other to manage the wind, stability is the result not of a lack of change, but of continual adjustments to manage change. For 2013, for example, the minimum premium period (for… Read More »
Categories: 2014 June - Year in Review 2013, Articles, Year in Review