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Common practice pitfalls: And how to avoid them
Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company (LAWPRO) was created to insure lawyers against legal malpractice claims. Most claims are brought by a lawyer’s own client and include an allegation that the lawyer made a mistake or did not meet the standard of care expected of him or her when delivering legal services. No lawyer is immune to… Read More »
LAWPRO is not like your auto insurer
In my more than 20 years of defending lawyers on malpractice claims, I continue to be amazed at how little some lawyers seem to know about the “LAWPRO policy” and how a claim is handled. I am also frustrated by how often lawyers have not done even the simplest things that could help them avoid… Read More »
Student to lawyer: 20 tips for a successful transition
There isn’t a magic formula for mapping out a career in law. You will make some decisions on where you would like to go, but there are many things outside your control which will impact where you end up. Factors such as economic conditions, personal circumstances, and even a bit of luck will affect the… Read More »
Legal podcasts: Because you can’t review a brief while commuting
It can be difficult to stay up-to-date on new developments and ideas in the practice of law when there is already so much to do in the day. Subscribing to interesting and educational legal podcasts can keep you informed as well as entertained (especially during a long commute). Here are four current podcasts that can… Read More »
The Member Assistance Program
Many students and lawyers find themselves confronting mental health and wellness issues during their career. If you find yourself dealing with depression, anxiety, addiction, or other mental health or wellness concerns, know that you’re not alone. The Ontario Member Assistance Program (“MAP”) operated by Homewood Health provides resources and counselling at no cost to Ontario… Read More »
A place for every email and every email in its place: Improving your inbox organization
In a modern law firm, it is not uncommon for the bulk of a file to be located in the lawyer’s inbox. This includes records of client instructions, agreements between counsel, strategy discussions, and scheduling confirmations. This can also include attachments and documents circulated between lawyers and clients that are sometimes never stored in a… Read More »
Phishing scams: Be the one that got away
Phishing involves the use of an email, text message or phone call that appears to come from a trusted source or institution, vendor or company, but is actually from a third-party impostor. Phishing messages are intended to trick you into giving fraudsters your information by asking you to update or confirm personal or online account… Read More »
Communicating like its 1876: The continuing importance of telephone skills for lawyers
When the Western Union Telegraph Co. famously declined to purchase the telephone patent from Alexander Graham Bell, it was allegedly because they wondered why anyone would want to use such a frivolous and impractical device when a clear and concise written message could just as easily be sent by telegraph. This assessment seems less absurd… Read More »
What new lawyers need to know about LAWPRO’s mandatory professional liability insurance
These FAQs answer some of the more common questions we hear from newly-called lawyers. The answers will help you determine if you need insurance coverage (or whether you’re exempt) and the steps you need to take to get your LAWPRO insurance coverage in place. What is professional liability insurance? Professional liability insurance is designed to… Read More »
Life after graduation: Reflections from LAWPRO students on moving from law school to the legal profession
Even after three years of law school, the articling or LPP experience can be an unfamiliar landscape. New graduates are faced with myriad choices affecting their future, and there are many new skills to learn in a short amount of time. But the first months of a new legal career are also an opportunity to… Read More »
Planning to do real estate work? A primer on title insurance and the TitlePLUS program
If you’re planning to do any real estate work when you go into practice, you’ll soon hear about a resource used by many real estate practitioners – title insurance. It’s a type of insurance coverage that lawyers across Canada are telling their clients about to help protect them against some typical problems that might crop… Read More »
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 »
It takes a village to build a lawyer: The importance of mentors in your legal career (2019)
As a lawyer, you may have a good understanding of where to find historical legal documents, cases, or precedents, but what about advisers, or mentors, or counsellors? Starting a legal career can be an isolating experience, with many new lawyers spending time working alone while drafting documents or doing research. That’s why it usually takes… Read More »
The First Timer’s Going to Court Cheat Sheet
Going to court for the first time can be an intimidating experience, but it can become familiar with practice. The level of formality and decorum in a courtroom is a unique part of Canadian life and should be treated seriously. Unlike what you may have seen on shows and social media, proceedings are rarely punctuated… Read More »
Life after graduation: Profiles and advice on succeeding during the first years of a legal career
After the congratulations, after the regalia, after the degree that’s been rolled and tied with ribbon, what comes next? It’s important to keep an open mind when starting your legal career. Many lawyers end up in positions very different than they were expecting, but still very rewarding. Remember that every role is an opportunity to… Read More »
Essential LinkedIn dos and don’ts for law students
With over 500 million users in more than 200 countries (including at least a million lawyers) and web traffic that ranks it as the 18th most visited site on the planet, LinkedIn is the social networking tool of choice for professionals. LinkedIn (LI) can also be useful to law students in a number of ways…. Read More »
How would you answer these job interview questions?
Job interviews can be very stressful. It’s not easy to answer questions about yourself, especially when they are open-ended questions that address your personality, work habits, ability to do teamwork and so on. Good answers are the key to a successful interview, and hopefully a job offer. The questions asked at job interviews are fairly… Read More »
New 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 »
What I wish I knew in law school
Midway through their articling terms at LawPRO we asked Raymond Ashurov and Rahim Andani to reflect on their law school experiences and how they relate to their early working experiences. Keep an open mind Many students enter law school with a preconceived plan of courses and the area of law in which they want to… Read More »
Job market scoop: What do law firms look for?
Law students – like all students – are prone to anxiety about their career prospects. High-profile news about the employment challenges faced by new grads in the U.S. and changes in the articling requirements for Ontario have combined to create a climate of worry. But worrying about trends and generalizations can obscure the fact that… Read More »
Stress 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 »
Is this the job you want? How to find the right fit – and then sell yourself in the interview (2015)
On the face of it, interviewing should not be all that difficult – particularly for lawyers. As members of a profession who primarily make their living either writing or speaking, the idea that having a conversation about your interests and abilities in your own profession sounds both logical and easy. But throw the words “job… Read More »
Why I chose a career before law school (2014)
While many students take the LSAT and if accepted, go to law school after completing a first degree, some choose a different path. Many law students take a few years off in between, for several reasons, including making sure this is the career they want. Last year’s LawPRO articling students, along with one of LawPRO’s… Read More »