AOP refers to “areas of practice” that attorneys engage in.  A summary of claims reported to OBLIC over the last year shows several practice areas in which claims commonly occur.

In 2016, OBLIC insureds reported more claims in the areas of real estate and probate, estate planning and trusts than any other area of practice.

Part of the reason for the number of claims in real estate and probate is the complexity of the cases in the practice areas. Another reason may be the larger amount of legal work in these practice areas due to population demographics, with baby boomers now transferring an unprecedented amount of assets.

To help prevent claims, follow these Loss Prevention Tips:

• Practice good client selection
• Effectively use engagement and disengagement letters
• Carefully define the scope of representation
• Use timely, effective client communication
• Always address conflicts of interest
• Keep up with practice developments

If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact Gretchen Mote, Director of Loss Prevention.

Click here to access the entire Malpractice Alert Jan-Mar 2017