2023
April
Registration is still open for the 38th Client Protection Forum hosted by the PPPLS Committee in New Orleans, LA June 2-3, 2023. The Committee looks forward to welcoming professionals from Client Protection Funds and elsewhere for two days of programming and networking. Over the past month Committee members worked on finalizing program materials and other final planning tasks.
In addition to working on the Forum, several Committee members have been selected to serve as panelists at the National Conference on Professional Responsibility also taking place in New Orleans, May 31-June 2, 2023. Registration for the National Conference is also ongoing.
The Committee members submitted updates to the Survey of Lawyers’ Funds for Client Protection. Staff worked to incorporate the updates and sent the updated survey out to Committee members for review. The Survey will request data on claim types, awards and other information from 2020-2022 and is an important resource in identifying nationwide trends, areas where more client protection measures are needed and determining whether Funds are meeting the needs of the public.
March
The Committee is looking forward to hosting the 38th Client Protection Forum in New Orleans, LA June 2-3, 2023. The Committee will welcome professionals from Client Protection Funds and elsewhere for two days of programming and networking. Over the past month, Committee members have been meeting with panelists and developing on program materials in preparation for the Forum.
The Committee was delighted to receive news that member Jayne Reardon has been selected as the winner of the 2023 Michael Franck Award Professional Responsibility Award. The Committee congratulates Jayne on this much deserved award and is proud to have her on the Committee. Jayne will be honored with the Award at the National Conference on Professional Responsibility on June 1, 2023, in New Orleans, LA. Several members of the Committee plan to be in attendance to support and celebrate Jayne on this most distinguished achievement.
The Committee turned their attention this month to its triennial Survey of Lawyers’ Funds for Client Protection. The Committee is currently working on updating the Survey and plans to get it out to Funds in early summer. The Survey will request data from 2020-2022 and is of particular interest to the Committee for its potential to show how Lawyers Funds were impacted by the pandemic. NCPO was a great help in encouraging responses to the 2019 Survey, and the Committee looks forward to working with them again in 2023.
Committee members participated in the CPR working group on proposed modifications to Rule 5.5. This is an ongoing collaboration between CPR entities of which the Committee is glad to be a part.
February
The Committee continued planning for the 38th Client Protection Forum which will be held in New Orleans, LA June 3-4, 2023. The Committee worked on filling out panelist for the plenary sessions.
The Committee Chair participated in a meeting of the CPR Coordinating Counsel and voted for the Selection of this year’s Michael Franck Award Professionally Responsibility Award recipient. The Michael Franck Award will be presented during the National Conference on Professional Responsibility June 1-3, 2023, in New Orleans, LA.
Committee members attended the meeting of the CPR working group on proposed modifications to Rule 5.5 The focus of the meeting was Client Protection funds, so the working group requested additional Committee members at the meeting to provide insights into issues that an expanded MJP rule may raise for CP funds.
January
The Committee held a business meeting on January 19th. Among business discussed was continued planning for the Client Protection Forum which will be held in New Orleans, LA in June 2023. The Committee finalized program topics for plenary sessions discussed potential speakers for each topic.
The Committee reviewed the updated responses to its UPL Survey and resolved to close response collection and move into the preparation of a report on the findings of the Survey.
The Committee members representing the PPPLS Committee on the CPR working group on proposed modifications to Rule 5.5 reported on the developments of that group and their continued efforts to work through barriers to implementation of a modified Rule 5.5. Because the working group plans to focus this month’s discussion on Client Protection funds, the working group has requested an additional member of the PPPLS Committee who is familiar with the administration of CP Funds attend this month’s meeting. In preparation for the meeting the Committee reviewed and discussed issues particular to CP funds that the Committee representative should highlight for the members of the 5.5 working group.