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Chapter 1.0 - Professional Liability Coverage's as Provided by Your Policy
      1.1 Your Policy
      1.2 The Importance of Your Application
      1.3 Important Policy Provisions
      1.4 Limits and Deductibles
      1.5 "Claim" Considerations
      1.6 Multiple Claims
      1.7 Geographic Coverage
      1.8 Consent
      1.9 Claims Expense Within Policy Limits
      1.10 Claims Cooperation
      1.11 Insureds
      1.12 Predecessor Firms
      1.13 Professional Services
      1.14 Notable Exclusions
      1.15 Policy Review
Chapter 2.0- Client Intake
      2.1 Deal with the Emotion
      2.2 Interruption
      2.3 Significance of the Concept of Transference
      2.4 The Law Firm's Reference Point
      2.5 Schedule Enough Time
      2.6 Client Intake
      2.7 Client Intake Checklist
      2.8 Client Discussion Items
      2.9 80/20 Rule
      2.10 Intake Review
Chapter 3.0 - High Risk Clients
      3.1 More than one client
      3.2 "Shopped" other attorneys
      3.3 Unreasonable expectations
      3.4 Payment of Fees
      3.5 Perception of the legal process
      3.6 Other attorneys have withdrawn
      3.7 Client history
      3.8 Relatives in the law
      3.9 Statute of Limitations
      3.10 Highly suggested interview questions
Chapter 4.0 - Engagement Letters And Professional Liability
      4.1 Benefits of the Engagement Letter
      4.2 Building Effective Client Communication Procedures
      4.3 Elements of the Engagement Letter
      4.4 Disengagement Letters
      4.5 Non-engagement Letters
Chapter 5.0 - Use Of Calendars And Electronic Systems
      5.1 The importance of electronic systems
      5.2 A Calendar System's Critical Components
      5.3 Electronic Communication
      5.4 Law Firm Web Sites
      5.5 Competence and Diligence in Electronic Communication
      5.6 Email Encryption
      5.7 Online Research
      5.8 WiFi
      5.9 Social Networking
      5.10 Safe Guarding Client Information
Chapter 6.0 - Client Communications
      6.1 Most frequent source of complaint
      6.2 ABA Model Rule 1.4
      6.3 Client Consent
      6.4 Document Client Decisions
      6.5 Communication Practice Habits
      6.6 Communication with the Assistant
      6.7 Explain how the matter will proceed
      6.8 Address client expectations
      6.9 Communicate the potential time gaps
      6.10 Value Added
Chapter 7.0 - Billing And Suits For Fees
      7.1 Review the rules concerning fees.
      7.2 Hourly Billing
      7.3 Budget
      7.4 Time Involved
      7.5 Contingency Billing
      7.6 Communicate Expected Cost
      7.7 The Golden Rule
      7.8 Not Being Paid
      7.9 Suits for Fees
      7.10 Billing Records Are Discoverable.
      7.11 Account Receivables
Chapter 8.0 - Outside Your Expertise
      8.1 ABA Model Rule 1.1
      8.2 Competence by Study or Association
      8.3 Engage a Contract Attorney or Co-Counsel
      8.4 Competence by Preparation
      8.5 Drafting
      8.6 Incompetent Representation
      8.7 Billings
Chapter 9.0 - Conflicts Of Interest
      9.1 The Impact of Conflicts of Interest
      9.2 Know the Rules
      9.3 Rule of Three
      9.4 Conflicts with Clients
      9.5 Transactional Matters
      9.6 Conflicts of Interests Issues
      9.7 Major Conflict-of-Interest Concerns
Chapter 10 10.0 How Claims Impact You
      10.1 Sensitivity to Potential Claims
      10.2 Prepare for a claim
      10.3 Reporting Claims to the Carrier

 

This course revised on 2/08/2016