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Attorney Grievances Part 1: An Overview of the Grievance Process
February 20, 2023During the 2021-2022 bar year, 7,175 ethics complaints (or grievances) were filed against Texas attorneys. A grievance can expose attorneys to discipline ranging from reprimand to suspension to disbarment, not to mention reputational harm. Given the significant impact an ethics complaint can have on an attorney, it’s necessary to understand Read the full post
Safekeeping Property: Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls with Client Funds
January 19, 2023A surprising number of disciplinary actions stem from the mismanagement of client’s funds or property. In fact, according to the State Bar of Texas Commission for Lawyer Discipline’s 2020-2021 annual report, failing to properly safeguard client property as required under Texas Ethics Rule 1.14 (Safekeeping Rule), rounded out the top Read the full post
TLIE Gives Back $4,500,000
January 4, 2023Texas Lawyers’ Insurance Exchange is the only legal malpractice insurance company in Texas that is owned by the Texas lawyers and judges that it insures. Unlike a commercial insurance company, a member-owned company like TLIE exists solely to serve the insurance needs of policyholders, not to produce investment profits for Read the full post
Moving On: Checklist and Tips for Departing Attorneys
December 21, 2022Attorney departures are not a new trend, but the trend of lateral moves has continued to increase significantly. According to a recent NALP report, lateral moves by partners and associates in 2021 increased nearly 43% and 149%, respectively, from the previous year. In this Article, we provide a checklist and Read the full post
7 Objectives of Risk Management
November 29, 2022Implementing an effective risk management strategy–addressing anything that may interfere with the ability to provide quality legal services and generate a profit–is essential to a thriving law practice. The benefits include: improving the quality of legal services and attorney-client relationship, enhancing the firm’s profitability and insurability, and reducing the risk Read the full post
Best Practices for Drafting Effective Fee Agreements
October 17, 2022In this Article, we’ll discuss why crafting effective fee agreements is essential to a successful attorney-client relationship and summarize best practices for effective fee agreements. THE IMPORTANCE OF FEE AGREEMENTS Having a written fee agreement can (and should) set forth more than just the attorneys fees by also setting expectations Read the full post
TLIE adds New Members to Board of Directors
September 20, 2022TLIE is happy to announce the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors. Cynthia Benavides, Weslaco, Texas Cindy obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree and MBA from Texas Tech in 2006. She was licensed by the State of Read the full post
Wire Transfer Scams: How to Minimize the Risk
September 19, 2022Scams continue to target Texas attorneys regardless of firm size. Email wire transfer scams–most commonly targeting real estate closings or legal settlements–have increased exponentially resulting in millions of dollars of losses each year. In this Article, we provide an overview of the prevalent email wire transfer scam, the ethical and Read the full post
TLIE mourns the passing of Board of Director Mary-Ann Bellatti
September 14, 2022TLIE said goodbye to long-time TLIE Director Mary-Ann Abbott Bellatti with her passing on August 5, 2022. Mary-Ann lived in Houston and had served on the TLIE Board of Directors since 1999. Mary-Ann was born February 24, 1945 in Tulsa, OK, and grew up in Stillwater, OK. She graduated from Read the full post
TLIE wins Texas Lawyer “Best of” Poll 2022
September 1, 2022For the twelfth straight year, TLIE has won the Texas Lawyer Best of readers’ poll! TLIE won for Professional Liability Insurance Provider and for Cybersecurity Insurance Provider. Also, since TLIE has won at least three of the last four years in Professional Liability and Cybersecurity, we were awarded the Texas Read the full post