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Insurance Glossary

The world of insurance for law firms can be confusing, and difficult to navigate. We've created this glossary because these common insurance terms should be easy to understand.

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tales from the claims files

3 min read

Back To The Basics: To Report Or Not To Report? When in Doubt — Call ALPS

If you are an ALPS-insured firm and are unsure if you should report a situation, but it is on your mind, just call us and we can talk with you about your concerns and the issues involved in your specific fact pattern. Ultimately, it is your...

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3 min read

Trusting Your Co-Counsel is a Good Thing, Until It Isn’t

As I’m often apt to do, I have a story to share. A solo employment law attorney, let’s call her Betty, has substantial trial experience. In light of...

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2 min read

How to Host a Safe and Responsible Holiday Party

The holiday season is once again upon us and businesses across the land are gearing up for their annual office holiday parties. These gatherings...

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11 min read

ALPS In Brief Podcast – Episode 25: Avoiding Claims – 6 Practices Every Lawyer Should Implement

In this episode of the ALPS in Brief podcast, ALPS claims attorney Kobi Gibbs sits down with ALPS Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte to offer...

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2 min read

Document, Document, Document

A lot of legal malpractice claims come down to a he-said-she-said between the lawyer and the client and, despite ethical obligation of candor...

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2 min read

Timely Reporting Of Potential Legal Malpractice Claims Is So Important

Your ALPS policy is a “Claims Made and Reported” insurance policy. What does that mean? It means that as a condition precedent to ALPS’ obligation...

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3 min read

When Facing a Malpractice Claim, Please Try Not To Make Things Worse Than They Already Are.

For over 20 years now, I have worked for an insurance company that insures lawyers for their malpractice. Trust me when I say I get it. There are...

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2 min read

A Decision to Share Office Space Can Be a Great One, Except When It Isn’t.

Some attorneys prefer working in an office share setting. And look, I get it. The reasons for doing so can be compelling. There’s the savings on...

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3 min read

Don't Be a Jerry

Missoula, Montana is home base to ALPS, the largest direct writer of attorney legal malpractice in the nation. Montana is also the home of some of...

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2 min read

Why You Must Immediately Report a Cyber Claim.

It seems that every week, the news reports on yet another company that suffered a cyber breach. Law firms, even small firms, are not immune from...

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2 min read

When Following Your Heart Gets You In Over Your Head

With the daily grind of the practice of law we seldom take time to think about why we got into this business in the first place. With the exception...

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4 min read

The Defining Moment of a Malpractice Claim

As a risk manager for the past 20 years, I’ve had more conversations with lawyers than I can keep track of and that were about more topics than I...

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3 min read

Engagement Letters Matter

Could there be a better time than spring to think about engagement letters?! The birds are singing, the flowers are out, the sun is shining, and...

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