Insurance for Law Offices
Law practices face professional liability exposure on every matter they handle. A missed statute of limitations, a documentation error in a transaction, or advice that a client later claims caused financial harm can all produce malpractice claims with significant legal defense costs. At the same time, law offices hold sensitive client information that creates cyber and data breach exposure. We work with carriers who specialize in legal professional liability to build coverage matched to your practice area and firm structure.
Key Coverages for Law Offices
- Legal Malpractice (Professional Liability) - Covers claims alleging negligence, errors, omissions, or breach of duty in the delivery of legal services. Pays attorney fees, settlement costs, and judgments on your behalf.
- Business Owner's Policy (BOP) - Covers your office furniture, equipment, files, and general liability for client injuries on your premises.
- Cyber Liability - Law offices hold client financial data, privileged communications, and personally identifiable information. Cyber coverage handles breach response, notification costs, regulatory defense, and ransomware events.
- Workers Compensation - Required in most states if you employ associates, paralegals, or support staff.
- Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) - Covers wrongful termination, discrimination, and harassment claims from employees or former staff.
- Umbrella / Excess Liability - Extends your malpractice and general liability limits for large claims or high-value client matters.
Claims-Made Malpractice: Tail Coverage Explained
Most legal malpractice policies are written on a claims-made basis, meaning coverage applies only when the claim is filed while the policy is active. If you close a firm, retire, or switch carriers, you need tail coverage (also called an extended reporting period) to cover claims that arise after the policy ends but relate to prior work. We explain your options clearly and make sure there are no gaps when you transition between policies or wind down a practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a solo attorney need the same coverage as a multi-attorney firm?
The core coverages are the same; the limits and premium reflect your volume of work and practice areas. Solo attorneys often need individual disability coverage as well, since there is no firm to absorb the financial impact of an illness or injury that prevents you from practicing.
Are client trust accounts covered under my cyber policy?
Social engineering and fraudulent wire transfer schemes targeting trust accounts are a growing risk for law practices. We make sure your cyber policy includes funds transfer fraud coverage, not just data breach response, so trust account losses are addressed.