The Professional Liability Fund is excited to announce that we have completed the biennial comprehensive review of our in-house practice aids for Oregon legal professionals. This includes checklists, sample documents, and resource materials in the following categories:
- Buying or Selling a Law Practice
- Client Relations
- Closing a Law Office
- Conflicts of Interest
- Contract Lawyering
- Cybersecurity and Data Breach
- Disaster Response and Recovery
- Disengagement and Nonengagement
- eCourt
- Engagement Letters and Fee Agreements
- Joining or Departing a Firm
- Marketing
- Office Systems and Procedures
- Opening or Moving a Law Office
- Paperless Office and Cloud Computing
- Partnership/Of Counsel
- Retiring from Law Practice
- Staff
- Trust Accounting
- Using Technology
We will also be updating our substantive law practice aids in various practice areas throughout the remainder of the year. You can find all practice aids on our website at osbplf.org > Services > CLEs & Resources > Practice Aids. We have also added new materials we hope you will find helpful:
1. Checklist for Lawyers Joining a Firm
One major trend of the last few years has been attorney and staff transition. Legal professionals are departing firms, opening offices, hiring, and retiring in numbers – and the PLF offers practice aids to support you in each of these transitions. We now have a checklist for attorneys joining a firm, including topics such as transferring conflict lists, becoming familiar with office procedures, responsibly learning new practice areas, and more. Start your new position on the right foot with the Checklist for Lawyers Joining a Firm, available on the PLF website, osbplf.org. Click on the Services tab > CLEs & Resources > Practice Aids > Joining or Departing a Firm > Checklist for Lawyers Joining a Firm.2. Cybersecurity and Data Breach
While technology has made our lives easier in many respects, it has also exposed law offices to the dangers of nefarious cyber attacks from parts unknown. Prepare your office, and know what to do when targeted, with the Checklist to Prevent and Prepare for a Data Breach, and What To Do After a Data Breach, available on the PLF website, osbplf.org. Click on the Services tab > CLEs & Resources > Practice Aids > Cybersecurity and Data Breach.3. PLF Books
Also recently updated is the 2022 edition of the Oregon Statutory Time Limitations handbook, available on osbplf.org. Click on the Services tab > CLEs & Resources > PLF Books > Oregon Statutory Time Limitations Handbook (2022). Avoid one of the leading causes of malpractice claims – missed deadlines – and keep this important compendium easily accessible. Coming soon, the PLF will release updated versions of three additional PLF books focused on launching your own practice, planning for the unexpected, and managing your lawyer trust account.All told, the PLF offers over 250 practice aids, as well as books, CLEs and more – all free of charge. We hope these diverse and comprehensive resources will help you to not only avoid malpractice but thrive in the years to come. Please explore all that we have to offer legal professionals at osbplf.org. You can reach out to our Practice Management Attorney team for assistance with all aspects of practice management. A PMA is available at 503.639.6911 or via our inquiry form.