TLIE’s Loss Prevention Services
December 20, 2016
TLIE offers free loss prevention services for its insureds, as well as low cost continuing education and certain other free resources for all attorneys.…
Resources
Our Resource Center includes our TLI Top Tips, articles, and links to other third party resources to assist our members with their loss prevention and best practices efforts.
News, Articles, & Top Tips
News
Article
I Received a Letter From the State Bar of Texas. What Do I Do Now?”
September 22, 2016
Receiving a letter from the State Bar of Texas notifying you that a grievance has been filed against you can be upsetting and daunting.…
News
Chair’s Message to Members
May 1, 2016
Texas Lawyers’ Insurance Exchange celebrated its 37th anniversary in May 2016, and I am happy to report the past year has been another great…
Article
Avvo Advisor: Should Texas Lawyers Join?
February 23, 2016
UPDATE: Avvo has fixed one of the potential issues we identified, the need to make clear to potential clients that the lawyer has paid…
Article
Email CCs and BCCs to Clients are Ethical, But Risky
February 12, 2016
A recent ethics opinion from New York indicates that making a client a cc or bcc on an email to opposing counsel is ethical,…
Article
Study Shows High Frequency of Mental Health Issues Among Lawyers
February 9, 2016
A new study from the Journal of Addiction Medicine shows how serious mental health issues are in the legal profession. The study, published in The…
Article
Texas Ethics Opinion Allows Lawyers to Use Collection Agencies: Should You Use Them?
February 9, 2016
A recent Texas ethics opinion addresses two issues concerning collection of unpaid fees from clients. In Opinion 652, the Professional Ethics Committee addresses whether a…
Article
Law firm liable for failure to verify information provided by client in a debt collection matter
January 28, 2016
Lawyers can be subject to liability under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In a recent case, a law firm relied on information…
Article
Texas Ethics Opinion 651: Email Links on Law Firm Websites
January 18, 2016
The Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas has issued an opinion regarding the confidentiality of emails sent by prospective clients. Opinion…
Article
When (And How) Can You Destroy Client Files?
January 18, 2016
2013 Texas Ethics Opinion 627 indicates that lawyers can eventually dispose of client files, but provides no indication of what period of time constitutes a…
News
Chair’s Message to Members
January 4, 2016
By Suzan Fenner, Chair of the TLI Board of Directors. I am honored to be writing you this year as Chair of the Board…
Article
Law Firm Dissolution: Ethics and Malpractice
January 4, 2016
When law firms dissolve, a host of issues must be addressed by firm members. Many of the issues are of a business nature. Who…
News
TLI Declares 19th Consecutive Distribution
December 22, 2015
This is TLI’s 36th anniversary, and I am very pleased to report that 2015 was another successful year for Texas Lawyers’ Insurance Exchange. On…
Article
Mental Impairment, Discipline and Legal Malpractice
August 26, 2015
Mental impairment, whether due to substance abuse, mental illness, or advancing age, contributes to a significant number of legal malpractice claims and disciplinary actions.…
Article
Malpractice Claim filed in 1998 results in $935,000 award
August 19, 2015
A Connecticut law firm accused of failing to advise the spouse of a client about her potential survivor benefits suffered a $935,000 jury verdict recently. The…
Article
Using Law Firm Ethics Counsel to Avoid Claims
August 17, 2015
A recent Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL) conference in Chicago included a number of good loss prevention ideas from in-house law firm ethics…
Article
Difficulties in Defending Legal Malpractice Claims with Low Limits
July 20, 2015
If you are trying to decide what lawyers’ professional liability limit is appropriate, and article entitled Walking the Tightrope: Defending Low Limit Legal Malpractice Cases is worth…
Article
A Release From a Client Doesn’t Always Work
July 17, 2015
A recent Illinois case is instructive about the effectiveness of releases of malpractice claims from departing clients. In Construction Systems, Inc. v. FagelHaber, a law firm…
Article
Highlights from 2014 Large Firm Claim Survey
July 15, 2015
An article in the Insurance Journal discusses findings in a recently completed survey of legal malpractice claims in 2014 at nine legal malpractice insurers covering about 80%…
Article
Ethical and Liability Considerations for Lawyers Acting as Fiduciaries in Estate, Trust and Probate Contexts
July 10, 2015
This article considers the implications of the existence of lawyers’ fiduciary obligations arising outside of the attorney client role. First, the article will consider…
Article
Question of the day: Should I accept an offer of equity in a client in lieu of fees?
July 6, 2015
An attorney considering whether or not to accept an offer of equity in a client should keep a number of issues in mind. Insurance. …
Books & Helpful Links
The following books and links reflect resources that we believe offer important content on Texas legal malpractice and ethics issues. We are always looking for new resources. If you have suggestions for additional sites or know that one of our sources is outdated, please contact us.
Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program
A confidential resource that helps attorneys, judges, and law students find solutions for dealing with substance use and mental health issues and provides resources for incorporating a healthier lifestyle.
State Bar Ethics Resources
The Bar has ethics resources. The ethics hotline can provide answers to certain ethical questions. Call (800)532-3947 for more information.
University of Houston Texas Ethics Reporter
This site includes Texas Disciplinary Rules of Conduct and Procedure, as well as Ethics Opinions, and includes prior versions of the rules.
The Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism
TCLEP is a non-profit center funded in large part by the Texas Bar Foundation. Resources on this site include the Texas Disciplinary Rules, Ethics Opinions, A Guide to the Basics of Law Practice, the Ethics Course, and other Texas specific materials.
Law Practice Management Program of the State Bar of Texas
The Law Practice Management Program of the State Bar of Texas offers a number of helpful guides that can help lawyers keep organized and practice efficiently.
ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability
The Standing Committee offers a number of important resources for attorneys interested in lawyers professional liability and insurance. A number of materials can be purchased online, including The Lawyer’s Desk Guide to Legal Malpractice.
ABA Center for Professional Responsibility
The Center for Professional Responsibility coordinates most of the ABA’s activities regarding legal ethics. There are usually a couple of commissions or subcommittee working on hot topics, and they will have links on this page. ABA ethics opinions may be available on the site.
ABA Law Practice Management Division
The ABA’s Law Practice Management has many great resources to help with running a law practice.
The ABA Legal Technology and Resource Center
LTEC focuses on law firm hardware and software.
Legalethics.com
This website focuses on ethical aspects of the use of technology by lawyers.
Legal Ethics Forum
This is a blog by law professors who specialize in legal ethics, and provides a good source for current news on ethics.
William Freivogel’s Conflicts Website
This website collects cases on conflicts issues in an easy to use format.
NABRICO Sites
TLIE is a member of the National Association of Bar Related Insurance Companies. The websites for the companies often provide valuable loss prevention advice and forms. If you are an attorney from a state other than Texas, you may want to check with these companies for professional liability and other types of insurance.
Texas Access to Justice Foundation
Lawyers who handle money for their clients must participate in the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program, by depositing these funds into an IOLTA bank account at an eligible institution. This website tells you how.
Explore Our Continuing Education Resources
Our commitment to helping you succeed includes an investment in your professional development to help safeguard your practice with additional education on how to avoid complaints and claims.