CHICAGO, April 6, 2021 — A virtual conference next week, hosted by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability, will explore a variety of professional liability issues, including the malpractice insurance environment during the COVID-19 pandemic and legal and ethical cybersecurity issues.
What: Spring 2021 National Legal Malpractice Conference
When: Wednesday–Thursday, April 14-15
Where: Virtual
The conference opens on Wednesday evening, April 14 with a networking event. On Thursday, April 15, at 11:15 a.m. ET, ABA President Patricia Lee Refo will deliver remarks on the ABA initiative, Practice Forward. The effort, established last summer, helps attorneys and other legal professionals successfully confront the myriad challenges presented by the pandemic and capitalize on the bevy of opportunities for innovation in the near and long term.
Two other timely programs of note are:
- “Cybersecurity for Attorneys – Legal and Ethical Duties”
In a technologically sophisticated world, it is critical for attorneys to understand and address the resulting legal and ethical obligations of operating in that environment. Attorneys should “keep current” due to their duty of competence in technology as well as their duty to maintain confidentiality. This session will focus on best practices for technology competence, the rules that govern attorneys in the cybersecurity space and real-world examples.
Thursday, April 15, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET - Insurance Market Update 2021: Premiums and Payouts Post-Pandemic
Legal malpractice insurers are grappling with COVID-19, cannabis-related claims and more as they continue to pay large claim payouts, contend with a recession, deal with an aging and diversifying lawyer population, and wrestle with continued market consolidation. The session will explore the exposures leading to big claim payouts, the forecast for legal malpractice premiums and the type of law firms that insurers see as preferred risks.
Thursday, April 15, 1-2 p.m. ET
The complete conference program can be found online.
All sessions are open to the media, but pre-registration is necessary. To register, please contact Bill Choyke at 202-662-1864 or [email protected].
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