Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Commons^™

The Emperor's New Clothes: Cloaking Client Protection Under The New Model Court Rule On Insurance Disclosure The Fourth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility: Comment., Nicole D. Mignone

St. Mary's Law Journal

Traditionally, the legal profession prides itself on its ability to self-regulate and prefers to “take care of its own” in the disciplinary realm. The Model Court Rule on Insurance Disclosure (the Rule) invites an initial effort toward the legal profession’s self-regulating ideals and client protection. The Rule requires private practice attorneys to report to their state whether they plan to maintain liability insurance, which is then disclosed to the public. Unfortunately, the Rule’s ambiguous language and requirements create worrisome issues for both the attorney and client. Attorneys without malpractice insurance may be indirectly forced to obtain it. This expense could …