Community of lawyers.
Common purpose.
Shared goals.

Robert C. Dortch, Jr. | Sellers Hinshaw Ayers Dortch & Lyons PA | Charlotte

Client Services


Client Services is dedicated to carrying out the mission of Lawyers Mutual through providing education and risk management resources. Client Services focuses on nurturing relationships with insureds through various forms of communication. For more information call 800. 662. 8843, Follow us on Twitter @LawyersMutualNC, connect on our LinkedIn page, like us on Facebook.

LM Feature: Jay Reeves

If you’ve read any of our Byte of Prevention blog posts or Put into Practice articles, you’ve witnessed the captivating storytelling of Jay Reeves. Jay’s conversational writing style never lacks colorful descriptions that take readers from the stress of trial prep to the sorrow of losing a pet. His stories, filled with lessons in law and life, give our blog readers a daily dose of wit and wisdom.

Jay recently published a book entitled, The Most Powerful Attorney in the World. His book, described as “a collection of short stories from a Law Life well-lived, which as the seasons pass becomes less about law and liability and more about loss, love, longing, laughter and life’s lasting luminescence,” is available on Amazon. I had a chance to chat with Jay about his new book and how he continues to draw inspiration from his “well-lived” law life.

 LM: Can you tell us about your law life ( years practicing, area of practice, etc.)?

JR: I graduated from the University of South Carolina Law School in 1981 and was licensed to practice that same year. In the four decades since, my Law Life has had three distinct phases. (1) Private practice – mostly as a solo attorney – in South Carolina and North Carolina, where I represented lawyers in licensing, disciplinary and ethics cases. (2) Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly, where I did everything from writing obituaries to covering big trials. (3) Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual, where I presented tons of seminars and workshops and visited hundreds of lawyers and firms statewide.

 LM: Has writing always been a passion of yours? What books/authors have made the biggest impression on you?

JR: Not just a passion, but THE passion, starting from when I was a little boy and walked down to the Carnegie Library where I discovered an entire series of Wizard of Oz books. Like many of my generation, To Kill a Mockingbird made a big impression. I love many authors. Some favorites: Doris Betts, Raymond Carver, Zadie Smith, Richard Ford, Alice Munro, Faulkner, Donna Tartt, James Lee Burke.

 LM: What inspired you to compile your stories in a book?

JR: They first appeared in the Lawyers Mutual newsletter. People seemed to like them. I’d write one and file it away. One morning I woke up to find they’d all jumped out of the file cabinet and were demanding I put them together in a book. So I did. The talented and amazing Camille Stell at Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services made it happen. I’ll be forever grateful for her wisdom and support.

 LM: The elements of “books, movies, and baseball” often pop up in your stories. What is the significance of these elements?

JR: My mentor Doris Betts used to say you don’t necessarily have to “write what you know,” but you better always “write who you are.” Growing up in a small town in Kingstree in the 60s, my life was shaped by reading (and hearing) stories, watching movies at the Anderson Theatre, and playing baseball. Other than my family, those were my first loves. They’re a part of who I am. They sneak into pretty much anything I write.

LM: What is one of the biggest lessons you learned as a lawyer that you’ve carried with you throughout life after law?

JR: Gosh, I learned so many lessons, most of them the hard way. Be Authentic is a big one. Meaning: don’t try to live up to some imaginary idea of how a lawyer should look and act. Be Honest is another – cutting corners and being slick always comes back to bite you. Be Grateful, Have a Sense of Humor, Shut Up and Listen, Be Kind, Stay Curious, Pet your Dog … all these lessons appear in my stories, in ways I hope are fun and non-preachy.

 LM: What is the significance of the book’s title, The Most Powerful Attorney in the World?

JR: One of my very first clients in Charleston SC was a sweet, elderly woman with a thick Low Country accent. When she called I thought she said she needed a Powerful Attorney. I said I’m your guy. Actually, she needed a Power of Attorney.

 LM: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

JR: If you’re an attorney: that you can have a Law Life filled with purpose, profits and peace of mind. It’s what you’re entitled to. No less. If you’re not an attorney: that the law is a special and important calling, and that the men and women who practice it are by and large good people who’re trying their best.

 LM: Are you currently working on any new projects?

JR: I write every morning. Currently, I’m finishing up a manuscript for an upcoming CLE seminar series on Telling Your Story: How to Design an Inspired Law Life. On the fiction front I’m having a blast writing a novel about a recluse in South Carolina who becomes a viral media star after thwarting a robbery with a jar of cheese dip. Yes, he’s a former baseball pitcher.   

 LM: Where can we find your book?

JR: You can order it online at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble and Wal-Mart. Or contact me (jay@yourlawlife.com or www.yourlawlife.com or phone 919-619-2441) and I’ll send you a signed copy.

 

,,

Clio Legal Trends Report: The Legal Services Market Paradox

clio-logo

Get access to the legal industry’s first longitudinal analysis on how law firms succeed—and how they struggle. You’ll also gain critical insights into how today’s legal consumer shops for legal services.  This year’s report also includes results from Clio’s in-depth analysis of law firm responsiveness, where they put firms to the test with 1,000 emails and 500 phone calls. Clio hired a third party research company to “shop” for legal services. The results are rather alarming. 60% of the law firms contacted did not respond to the email inquiry while 27% did not answer the phone call or return the firms claim responsiveness as a core trait.  For more details about the survey and national legal trends, click here to read the report.

HELP Team Adds Everyday Value to LM Policy

Knowing help is available when you need it most is an everyday value of being insured with Lawyers Mutual.

Lawyers Mutual’s HELP team is expert at Handling Emergency Legal Problems. Led by our in-house claims attorneys and outside counsel, the team has the training and resources to guide you through difficult professional times.

What would happen to your practice in the event of a medical emergency? Who would take care of your cases and clients? What about if your law partner unexpectedly retires – or dies?

Or if there’s a hurricane or natural disaster that disrupts your practice in ways you can’t manage on your own.

HELP is available. Every day. When you need it. Talk about value!

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Every law practice is different. Every crisis is different. And there’s no anticipating when one might occur.

When you find yourself facing a situation you can’t handle alone, or if you’re simply unsure where to turn, contact the Lawyers Mutual HELP team:

  • We will assess your crisis situation.
  • We will come up with a plan.
  • We will HELP make sure your clients are not harmed.

We’ve helped lots of insureds deal with crisis situations that might arise in their firm as a result of unexpected events like the death or disability of a lawyer in the firm.

LM Resources Are Available

Here are some checklists, information packets and other resources to HELP you through difficult times:

 

For more information, contact Lawyers Mutual HELP.

,,

I Value Lawyers Mutual Because of its Underwriting Team

Helping law firms move from uncertainty to confidence is all in a day’s work for the underwriting department at Lawyers Mutual.

And it’s yet another everyday value enjoyed by LM policyholders.

The underwriting department is led by Vice President Kathy Fisher, who before joining Lawyers Mutual was in private practice herself. This gives her a real-world understanding of the pressures and needs of practitioners.

“As a result of being in private practice for 14 years and having defended LM insureds during that time, I understand what our insureds are experiencing,” she says. “My legal experience also helps me communicate with insureds about issues concerning their coverage or practice that are apparent to me because I am a lawyer, and it helps me assess and underwrite for the risk associated with different areas of practice.”

To get a snapshot of a typical day in the underwriting office, we reached out to Kathy and asked her what it’s like on her side of the desk. Here are some excerpts:

What makes LM underwriting unique? “In one word, accessibility. Any LM insured can interact with us directly by telephone, email, or in-person to discuss their application, their policy, and underwriting options available or recommended related to changes to their practice. LM is also different because we are a mutual insurance company. Ownership is shared among all policyholders. Our underwriting is guided by our goals and responsibilities to all of our policyholders.”

Tell us about an actual interaction with an insured lawyer. “I recently had a telephone conversation with an insured concerning their coverage limits. An insured should have coverage limits relative to the potential amount of damages associated with their practice in the event of an error or omission. This does not always equate to the amount of the transaction involved. Real estate is a good example. The potential damages that might result from a real estate transaction are rarely the full amount of the sales price or loan amount.”

How was the insured feeling before the call? “Uncertain. They were trying to determine whether the coverage limits on their policy were adequate in light of the monetary exposure associated with their areas of practice.”

How did the insured feel after call? “Decided. Our conversation allowed them to ask me questions, gather information, and quickly resolve their concerns. This interaction is the value of Lawyers Mutual!”

What other factors are relevant to decisions about coverage limits and exposure? “When considering coverage limits and changes to your coverage limits, it is important to understand that your professional liability policy is a claims-made policy. This means that the policy in effect at the time a claim is made and reported determines coverage, not the policy which may have been in effect at the time of the alleged act or omission.”

What part of your job do you like best? “There are two parts of my job that I really enjoy. I get to develop relationships with our insureds. I enjoy getting an update and picture from insureds about their family, pets, and vacations, and sharing mine with them. A cute animal picture will always bring a smile to your face! I also like the continuous challenge and learning that comes with being an underwriter. Underwriting is like the law; it is never static and always changing.”

What are some key lessons you’ve learned on your professional journey? “I feel like this question begs for a corny (my 20-year-old child would say ‘cheesy’) response, so here goes. The most important quality I learned from my mentors as a young lawyer was integrity. Sometimes, I must make difficult underwriting decisions and have difficult conversations as a result of those decisions, but every interaction with an insured involves honesty and respect. Integrity is a core value for all of us at LM and a quality that guides me every day.”

Learn more about Lawyers Mutual underwriting here.

So why do you value Lawyers Mutual? How can we provide even greater value? We’d love to hear from you.

 

,,

I Value Lawyers Mutual Because of its Claims Attorneys: Uta Zacharias, Senior Claims Counsel

I Value Lawyers Mutual Because of its Claims Attorneys: Uta Zacharias, Senior Claims Counsel

Sometimes all you need is to talk to somebody.

When you’re insured with Lawyers Mutual, there’s a seasoned, skilled claims attorney on standby if needed.

This benefit sets Lawyers Mutual apart from every other malpractice carrier in North Carolina. Its claims attorneys have been in private practice like you. They’ve been in the trenches. They know what you go through every day.

And if trouble arises in a case you’re handling, they’ll be able to objectively assess the situation and help develop an appropriate strategy. They’ll work with you to repair the problem or reduce the dollar amount of the loss. They might even be able to prevent a claim from being made in the first place.

Talk about everyday value!

To get a glimpse at how this works, we reached out to Uta Zacharias, Senior Claims Counsel at Lawyers Mutual. She told us about some recent scenarios where she has fielded calls from worried insureds:

How were you contacted by the insureds? “Telephone.”

What was their state of mind? “The situations are varied. Some insureds are embarrassed, some are upset/scared, and some are angry that they are having to report an issue for which they don’t feel fully responsible. Typically, the insureds are embarrassed. They likely feel like they are isolated in the fact that they potentially made a mistake.”

What problems are most frequently reported? “The most typical problem is that a deadline was missed. Also typical, however, is that a small detail was missed such as the wrong lot number on a deed, or the Ex. A ‘legal description’ was left off a document. Sometimes, there is no real mistake, but the client is accusing the insured of some error that’s really not related to anything the insured did.”

What did you do or say? “I always try to treat the insured how I would want to be treated. First, I always try to reassure them that we have their back and we’ll do whatever we can to either prevent a malpractice claim, or if one has already been filed, we’ll hire the best defense counsel to try to minimize the inconvenience and aggravation of having to deal with a malpractice claim.”

How do insureds respond to your assistance? “Most insureds are grateful that LM is here for them.”

How did the insured feel afterward? “Relieved, but sometimes still worried until the entire matter is resolved.”

Do you enjoy this part of your job “Yes. I like to be able to help a colleague out on what may be one of their worst days. I try to imagine that something like this could easily have happened to me if I were practicing law in a firm and try to think about how I would want this to play out. A reassuring, friendly voice from the insurance carrier probably goes a long way in calming the insured.”

So why do you value Lawyers Mutual? How can we provide even greater value? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us here or here, or call us at 1-800-662-8843.

 

,,
1 2 3 4 5