At one time or another, most lawyers and paralegals will have seen a family member, a friend, or a colleague struggling with health or addiction issues. Undoubtedly, a good number of those reading this column will have themselves struggled with health issues at some point during the course of their career. Historically, the profession has… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Editorials
Herman Melville wrote that the legal profession is one where “misery hides aloof, so we deem that misery there is none.” In Melville’s story of Bartleby, the Scrivenor, a solicitor watches this silent misery slowly consume and destroy his copyist, Bartleby. Although Melville wrote his tragedy about depression in the legal profession in 1853, it… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Wellness, Wellness
Although compromised mental health within the legal profession has historically been a widespread and deeply rooted problem, increasing awareness and new resources are building a healthier, more resilient, and stronger profession. That’s where myassistplan.com from the Member Assistance Program (MAP) comes in. The MAP provides Ontario lawyers, paralegals, law students, judges, and family members, with… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Wellness, Wellness
When lawyers ignore their mental health and fail to act on warning signs, they not only harm their quality-of-life and job satisfaction, they leave themselves open to a claim, or even a cluster of malpractice claims. It’s 10:00 p.m. Do you know where your associates are? A lawyer’s life can be a lonely one. Long… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Wellness, Wellness
There is simply no doubt about it: making an error or having an action commenced against you is stressful, even for the most successful lawyers. And because almost half of Ontario lawyers in private practice will face a malpractice claim at least once in their career, at some point this stress will be a reality… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Wellness, Wellness
You can apply for Exemption ‘C’ under the LAWPRO Program if you are taking a temporary leave of absence from practice. The leave may be up to five years for family reasons or illness and two years for other reasons. This exemption is for a temporary leave of absence only, meaning you must intend to… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Checklist, FAQs, LAWPRO policy
While “law firm” once conjured an image either of a sole practitioner with a small storefront office or a multi-generational law firm with clearly defined partners and associates, many other firm structures now exist as lawyers opt to work from their homes, from virtual offices, and from shared accommodations. The work lawyers choose to do… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Excess, LAWPRO policy
Even when a case falls into an area of law in which a lawyer is experienced, a new or unfamiliar administrative regime can present risks for lawyers not prepared for the particular statutory framework. Importantly, missing key details and requirements can lead to malpractice claims from inadequate investigation or communication failures with clients. The following… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Could This Happen to You?, Inadequate Investigation, Personal injury
When lawyers retire, get appointed to the bench, go in-house or otherwise claim exemption from maintaining LAWPRO insurance, they commonly ask LAWPRO two questions: 1. Do they still need to pay for insurance? 2. What sort of services are they still allowed to perform? When you leave private practice you are not “off the hook”… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Errors & Omissions, LAWPRO policy
In light of the commonly held view that real estate is a safe investment, many individuals use mortgage investments to supplement income or as a means of saving for retirement. Unfortunately, a reality of the current real estate landscape is that private lenders are often the target of identity frauds. A title insurance policy generally… Read More »
Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Practice Tips, Real Estate, Title insuranceLand Acknowledgement
The offices of LAWPRO are located on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishnabeg, Chippewa, Haudenosaunee and Wendat peoples. Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. LAWPRO respects and acknowledges the histories, languages, knowledge systems, and cultures of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit nations.
