AGENDA

9:00 A.M.     The QUIZ: A potpourri of the hottest topics in legal malpractice and

                  ethics, and what you need to know to protect yourself from novel

                  malpractice risks and ethics complaints.

10:00 A.M.   Break

10:10 A.M.   The Ethics and Malpractice Tools for Conducting Your Law Practice

                  Management Review

                       – Law firms constantly change and evolve. So to do the ethics and                             
                              malpractice issues guiding lawyers’ conduct and representations. Only 
                              through regular review and updating of a firm’s processes and procedures                               
                              to align with such changes  can lawyers avoid unwanted surprises. 

                     This program will assist in breaking down a daunting review task into
                     bite-sized nuggets.   Twelve practice management areas will be
                     addressed and the professional conduct rules and malpractice                     
                     implications in each.  Areas to be covered include:

                           - Strategic Planning Considerations

                           -  Client Evaluation & Intake

                           -  Conflicts of Interest

                           -  Engagement Letters, Non-Engagement Letters, Closing Letters 

                           -  Fee Agreements

                           -  Calendaring Procedures

                           -  Billing Procedures

                           -  File Retention Policy

                           -  Gen AI & Cyber Security

                           -  Disaster Recovery Procedures

                           -  Law Firm Marketing 

                           -  Investing in Yourself 

Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct considered include 1.1. Competence, Rule 1.2. Scope of Representation and Allocation of Authority Between Client and Lawyer, 1.3. Diligence, 1.4. Communication, 1.5. Fees, 1.6. Confidentiality of Information, Rule 1.7. Conflict of Interest: Current Clients, 1.8. Conflict of interest; current clients; specific rules, 1.9 & 1.10. Duties & Conflict of Interest, Former Client & Imputation to Law Firm, 1.15. Safekeeping Property, 1.16. Declining or Terminating Representation, Rule 1.17. Sale of Law Practice, Rule 1.18. Duties to Prospective Client, 5.1. Responsibilities of partners, managers and supervisory lawyers, 5.6 Restrictions on Right to Practice, Rule 7.1. Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services, Rule 7.2. Advertising, 8.3. Reporting Professional Misconduct, and 8.4. Misconduct.  

11:10 A.M.   Break

11:15 A.M.   The Ethics and Malpractice Tools for Conducting Your Law Practice

                  Management Review – (continued)

12:15 P.M.    Adjournment