Claire is the Vice President of Claims. She joined Lawyers Mutual in 2017 and previously served in the role of Underwriter and Senior Claims Counsel. Prior to joining Lawyers Mutual, she practiced in the areas of civil litigation, medical malpractice defense, insurance defense, and transportation. Claire actively practiced in both large and medium-sized firms in North Carolina for 22 years. You can reach Claire at 800.662.8843 or at claire@lawyersmutualnc.com.
Agreeing to serve as the local attorney for out-of-state counsel can be a productive and beneficial relationship for the attorneys, as well as the client. Lawyers Mutual wants to remind attorneys to enter into the arrangement understanding what your duties are as local counsel and do not treat it as being a merely ministerial task. Read More
First the bad news: blown statutes of limitation and other critical deadlines are the leading cause of malpractice claims. The good news: with a little effort and the right systems, you can dramatically reduce the risk in your law office. “Missed deadlines remain the number one source of claims at Lawye… Read More
Missed deadlines remain the number one source of claims at Lawyers Mutual. Although it appears missed deadlines would be an easy error to avoid, we see it all too frequently. Missed deadlines can include missed statutes of limitations, missed deadlines to obtain alias and pluries summons, missed discovery deadlines, and missed appellate deadlines. Having a good docketing and calendaring system, as well as a routine surrounding deadlines, can help avoid this all-too-common mistake. Read More
Over the last few years, Lawyers Mutual has seen an increase in Estates and Trusts (E&T) claims. In 2021, E&T claims were the third most common claims according to area of practice. Only Plaintiff’s personal injury and residential real estate generated more claims by practice area. Errors occur in both estate planning and estate administration. Two common E&T errors are: Read More
Wire fraud was a problem prior to Covid-19; however, with the increase in remote work spurred by the pandemic, wire fraud has increased. Cyber-attacks have occurred in every sector of life and attorneys are not immune. In fact, real estate attorneys are a prime target for cyber criminals. Read More
In 2021, litigation errors constituted one-third of all the claims reported to Lawyers Mutual. Plaintiff’s Personal Injury, under the litigation umbrella, constituted the single practice area with the most reported claims. Missed deadlines breed the most errors. The lack of a good calendari… Read More
In 2021, litigation errors constituted one-third of all the claims reported to Lawyers Mutual. Plaintiff’s Personal Injury, under the litigation umbrella, constituted the single practice area with the most reported claims. Missed deadlines breed the most errors. The lack of a good calendaring and docket system is the main reason attorneys miss deadlines. Remote work and not being in the office with other attorneys and support staff has compounded this problem. Read More
Even the most knowledgeable and conscientious attorneys may sometimes make a mistake in representing their clients. Many mistakes are minor and do not adversely affect the client’s case. Read More
Mental health and the legal profession. Read More
For lawyers handling real estate closings, it’s important to know that seller fraud continues to rise, especially with the upcoming holiday season when distractions are high, and fraudsters are active.
Lawyers Mutual has published previous alerts regarding the new filing requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) that went into effect January 1, 2024. After reviewing additional resources, we want to emphasize concerns that we have about the risks and increased potential liability for lawyers undertaking the reporting requirements. This is especially true for the continuing reporting requirements after entity formation and initial reporting.