Preventing Legal Malpractice and Disciplinary Complaints: Ethics Audits as a Risk-Management Tool

This column examines the value of firm lawyers conducting and supporting ethics audits as an integral feature of a comprehensive risk-management program. For decades, legal malpractice experts have urged lawyers to implement systems, policies, and procedures related to the delivery of legal services. Once a firm adopts systems, policies, and procedures, a meaningful risk-management system requires a periodic examination to monitor lawyers compliance. Rather than waiting for a professional liability insurer to recommend or require such a systematic examination, proactive firm leaders and lawyers should seriously consider devoting time and resources to periodic ethics audits.

Preventing Legal Malpractice and Disciplinary Complaints: Ethics Audits as a Risk-Management Tool Academic Article