Meet Your Lawyers Mutual Relationship Manager
How would you like to have a close, personal contact inside the insurance company that provides your legal malpractice coverage?
You’ve got one when you’re insured with Lawyers Mutual.
Earlier this year, Lawyers Mutual lured a former vice-president and manager of its Claims Department to return to the office as Relationship Manager.
“I want our insureds to understand what makes us different,” says attorney Will Graebe. “One of my goals in this role is to make sure we are meeting the needs of our insureds and providing a level of service that exceeds our competitors. Another goal is to make sure our insureds take advantage of the many services that we offer.”
Recently we sat down with LM lawyer Will Graebe and talked about everything from sabbaticals to sharks. Below are excerpts from our conversation.
The practice of law is always changing. But for lawyers in North Carolina, one thing has remained constant for nearly 40 years. Lawyers Mutual is here for you at every stage of your law career: from your first day on the job to your last day before retirement. Our Byte of Prevention blog features industry news, tips and valuable links on everything from work-life balance to winding down your practice. Our email newsletter “Practice Reimagined” brings cutting-edge insights straight to your in-box. And our skilled team of underwriters, claims counsel and risk management professionals are by your side when you need us most. Lawyers helping lawyers. It’s who we are, and it’s what we’ve been doing since 1977.
A Conversation With LM Relationship Manager Will Graebe
On the importance of relationships: “While a lot has changed since the company was founded in 1978, the one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of our relationships with our insureds. We want our insureds to see us as trusted advisors who will work with them to deal with the daily challenges of practicing law. There is a great ongoing research study at Harvard that, for the past 80 years, has been looking at what contributes to happiness and longevity. The study reveals that the single best predictor of happiness and longevity is good relationships. It turns out that genuine connection with other people makes us happier, healthier and more successful.”
Favorite part of your job: “There are a lot of things I like about my job. What I probably like most are the people with whom I work. I have worked with some of the people here at Lawyers Mutual for more than 20 years. I consider it a privilege to work with people who are so passionate about what they do. It’s really gratifying to work with people who care so much about our mission to serve lawyers. I know that might sound cheesy, but it’s true. The other thing that I have come to love is getting out and giving presentations to our insureds. It’s funny. I never used to enjoy that and now it has become the thing I most look forward to.”
Best fish I ever caught. “Hmm … That’s tough. There are so many! But if I had to pick one, it would probably be the 10-foot lemon shark that I caught off a beach in the Everglades during a crazy thunderstorm. I was fishing with a Penn 950 spinning reel, which really wasn’t designed to catch a fish this size. After a 45-minute fight with lightning crashing all around, we dragged the shark onto the beach, carefully removed the hook and returned the beast to fight another day.”
Best professional advice: “Celebrate your successes and others’ successes more than you focus on your failures or the failures of others.”
Recent book I liked: “Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke. “I’m a sucker for any book about brain science. This book explores the balance between pleasure and pain and the role that the neurotransmitter dopamine plays in that balance. Another great read is Shawn Achor’s book The Happiness Advantage, which explores the ideas of happiness and well-being from a positive psychology point of view.”
Why choose Lawyers Mutual for your financial protection? One reason is experience. Lawyers Mutual has been in business since 1977 and insures more than 8000 lawyers in North Carolina. We’ve been providing continuous protection from professional liability to NC lawyers longer than any other insurance company. Another reason is stability. The company’s financial strength is absolute. Since 1999, Lawyers Mutual has paid dividends fourteen times, with more than $8 million dollars returned to policyholders since 2011. Want even more reasons? Visit our website, give us a call, or ask a colleague why Lawyers Mutual is the smart choice for liability coverage.
