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Attorneys
Insurance Mutual
of Alabama, Inc.
200 Inverness Parkway
Birmingham, Alabama 35242
Telephone 205-980-0009
Toll Free 800-526-1246
Fax 205-980-9009
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Recent Newsletters
Ask the Underwriter
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Q.
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What exposure does office sharing present to my malpractice
insurer? |
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A.
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A concern arises when office sharers are perceived by the public
as practicing as a partnership or corporation. If they are held
to be a "defacto partnership," office sharers may be held
vicariously liable for the acts of each other. The underwriting
process seeks to identify and minimize this liability. An
office-sharing endorsement is included with the policy to
exclude acts, errors or omissions committed by a lawyer who
shares office space and is not a named insured under the AIM
policy. |
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Q.
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As a sole practitioner, why is it necessary to designate a
back-up attorney? |
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A.
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Sole practitioners must have arrangements for a back-up attorney
in case of an extended absence from practice such as illness,
disability, vacation or death. Often the back-up attorney will
be someone with whom the applicant shares office space. |
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Q.
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How does a firm determine if they have adequate limits of liability?
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A.
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There is not a certain method for determining adequate limits of liability.
However, there are several considerations that should be reviewed. The size of
the firm, the areas of practice, catastrophic loss potential, personal assets
and the applicable statute of limitations should all be considered in selecting
limits of liability. |
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