The idea of the Nigerian e-mail scam in which the rich Prince finds himself needing a few thousand dollars from you so that he can obtain his rightful kingdom and then reward you richly for your help has been around so long it qualifies as Internet lore. The scam involves some version of a [...]
What is an ethics grievance? An ethics grievance/ bar complaint/ ethics inquiry are all interchangeable words for a complaint made against an attorney alleging misconduct or a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Who can file a grievance? Anyone can file an ethics grievance against an attorney. Clients, former clients, opposing parties, other attorneys, [...]
On February 23, 2021, the Montana Supreme Court issued an opinion delivered by Justice Laurie McKinnon in ALPS Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Keller, Reynolds, Drake, Johnson & Gillespie, P.C., 2021 MT 46 (Mont. 2021) which upheld the lower court’s ruling that there was no coverage for a claim because the insured firm had [...]
Not too often, but often enough, we receive phone calls from concerned insureds inquiring about what they should do now they have become aware of a claim or potential claim. While taking the correct initial steps once a claim arises is important, your actions prior to becoming aware of the claim will very likely have [...]
2020 has been a year of challenges for most people, not just attorneys, both personally and professionally. The virus has created significant stress, economic hardship, and strain across the nation. The strain is exacerbated by the need for social distancing to prevent the continued spread of the virus. We cannot just reach out and give [...]
“We must cultivate our garden.” —Voltaire, Candide I wasn’t much of a Voltaire fan when I was assigned Candide in a European History course in college, which seems like 100 years ago. Truth be told, I find it about as impenetrable today as I did back then. As an avid vegetable gardener, however, I find [...]
Does this article’s title make you nervous? It should. With the unfortunate failures of many businesses due to the pandemic, we suspect claims of this nature will increase. It seems many clients believe that when they hire a transactional attorney, the attorney will prevent all possible adverse consequences. These same clients also seem to believe [...]
Here at ALPS, all of us who work in claims and risk management periodically take calls from lawyers unsure if they need to report a claim. While we view reaching out for assistance in working through this important decision as a good thing, we also recognize that some lawyers will choose not to if for [...]
Lawyers are busy. We’ve got briefs to write, hearings to attend, depositions to prepare for, and trials to worry about. There are 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week and somehow still not enough time to get it all done. Our plates are so full of tasks and deadlines and meetings [...]
A jack is a tool with utilitarian value used for practical and beneficial purposes. We jack up a vehicle to change a flat tire. Or we jack up a house to move it to a new location for the benefit of the owner. Jacks raise, lift, or elevate an object, and we refer to the [...]
