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Impressions of a Law Practice Program student (2015)
As part of the inaugural group of Law Practice Program (LPP) participants, I am pleased to have an opportunity to share my impressions with you. The LPP consists of four months of in-person and online training with Ryerson University and a four month work placement. There is also a French LPP run at the University… Read More »
Categories: 2015 Student Issue 3, Articles, Law students/new lawyersRisk management strategies to reduce your risk of a claim under the new Rule 48.14
Effective January 1, 2015, a new Rule 48.14 brought significant changes to the administrative dismissal regime in Ontario. After several hundred claims and more than $7 million in claims costs over the last three years, LAWPRO was happy to see old Rules 48.14 and 48.15 revoked. However, while LAWPRO believes the new rule will stem… Read More »
Categories: 2015 February - LAWPRO 20th, Admin dismissals/Rule 48, Articles, Civil Litigation, Practice Tips, Time ManagementFrom crisis to innovation: 20 years of LAWPRO professional liability insurance
Twenty years ago, an investigative task force appointed by the Law Society of Upper Canada made a sobering discovery: the fund established to pay for professional indemnity claims against Ontario lawyers was underfunded by over $200 million dollars. The resulting crisis presented the bar in Ontario with one of the most serious challenges in its history…. Read More »
Categories: 2015 February - LAWPRO 20th, Articles, Errors & Omissions, Features, LAWPRO policy20 years of LAWPRO leading cases
While Ontario lawyers will appreciate that LAWPRO defends them on legal malpractice claims, they may not appreciate the breadth of legal issues that come up in those claims. This article highlights leading or significant cases that LAWPRO litigated over the past 20 years, some of which dealt with legal issues and principles that are relevant… Read More »
Categories: 2015 February - LAWPRO 20th, Admin dismissals/Rule 48, Articles, Casebook, Civil Litigation, Criminal Law, Limitation Periods, Wills & Estates20 ways to improve the finances of your practice
The demands of individual files can make it a challenge to give your practice’s finances the time and attention they need. From the new issue of LAWPRO Magazine, here are 20 ways you can make or save more money in your day-to-day work. Most are relatively simple and can be implemented at little or no… Read More »
Categories: 2015 February - LAWPRO 20th, Articles, Finances, Practice TipsDon’t get duped: 20 red flags of bad cheque fraud you should recognize
Lawyers in all areas of practice continue to be the frequent targets of bad cheque scams. These scams involve debt collections, business loans, IP licensing disputes or spousal support payments. While it appears Ontario lawyers are increasingly aware of these frauds, occasionally some are being duped into disbursing funds on a bad cheque they have… Read More »
Categories: 2015 February - LAWPRO 20th, Articles, Cyber dangers, Fraud, Practice TipsYou may be exposed to a claim if you release a private mortgage advance to a third party
LAWPRO has become aware of a new exception to coverage in certain title insurance policies which could expose real estate practitioners to claims from their private lender clients. The issue has recently arisen in connection with private residential mortgage transactions, and in particular where the lender and borrower are separately represented, as required, because the… Read More »
Categories: Alerts, Real Estate, Title insurance, TitlePLUSAre you covered for a big claim? Consider LAWPRO Excess Insurance
With your Law Society insurance renewing January 1, it is a good time to consider your firm’s excess needs. Remember that the limits on LAWPRO’s primary program are $1 million per claim/$2 million in the aggregate. Could any of your matters lead to a malpractice claim of more than $1 million? Don’t forget to include… Read More »
Categories: 2014 October - Insurance Issue 2015, Articles, Excess, Excess insuranceExemption eligibility for “employed” lawyers
A common fallacy is that all lawyers who work in a corporate, government, education or municipal setting will be entitled to an exemption from the requirement to pay LAWPRO premiums for the Law Society’s mandatory insurance program. Depending on the employment relationship and the nature of the work, this may not be true. To qualify… Read More »
Categories: 2014 October - Insurance Issue 2015, Articles, Errors & Omissions, LAWPRO policyAmendments to Rule 48 bring major changes to administrative dismissals
Significant changes to the Rules of Civil Procedure relating to administrative dismissals appear in Ontario Regulation 170/14, published in the September 6, 2014 Ontario Gazette. Specifically, the existing Rules 48.14 (Action not on trial list) and 48.15 (Action abandoned) were revoked, and a new Rule 48.14 (Dismissal of an action for delay) was substituted in… Read More »
Categories: 2014 October - Insurance Issue 2015, Admin dismissals/Rule 48, Articles, Civil Litigation