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Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager

Since 1998, Mark Bassingthwaighte, Esq. has been a Risk Manager with ALPS, an attorney’s professional liability insurance carrier. In his tenure with the company, Mr. Bassingthwaighte has conducted over 1200 law firm risk management assessment visits, presented over 600 continuing legal education seminars throughout the United States, and written extensively on risk management, ethics, and technology. Mr. Bassingthwaighte is a member of the State Bar of Montana as well as the American Bar Association where he currently sits on the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility’s Conference Planning Committee. He received his J.D. from Drake University Law School.

4 min read

How to Manage the Risks Associated with Substantive Malpractice Missteps

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Apr 8, 2025

A report entitled “Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims 2020-2023,” published in 2024 by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability, provides a statistical analysis of claims data collected from various...

Solo and Small Firm Resources Law Practice Management
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Tail illusion

5 min read

True Stories & Tips for Law Firm Splits, Dissolutions, and Attorney Departures

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Feb 6, 2025

I have three stories to share, but first a reminder of what tail coverage is and isn’t. Sometimes after hearing good things about ALPS, a lawyer will...

Solo and Small Firm Resources Law Practice Management Insurance for Law Firms
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Woman delegating work

5 min read

Relief Isn’t Always Spelled R-O-L-A-I-D-S. Sometimes, It’s Spelled D-E-L-E-G-A-T-E!

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Feb 5, 2025

Years ago, an extended family member didn’t file his personal tax return yet again. Don’t misunderstand me, every year a tax return is prepared. He...

Solo and Small Firm Resources Attorney Wellness Law Practice Management
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Attorney enjoying winter

4 min read

How to Overcome the Winter Blues and Find Wellness

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Dec 18, 2024

Being an attorney is hard enough; but for some, it’s even harder during the winter months. In part this can be due to the reduced daylight, colder...

Attorney Wellness
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Episode 87 - ft Jeff Brandt: If Video Killed the Radio Star, Will AI Kill the Studio Star?

20 min read

Episode 87 - ft Jeff Brandt: If Video Killed the Radio Star, Will AI Kill the Studio Star?

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Dec 12, 2024

In this episode of ALPS In Brief, our Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte sits down with University of Montana Professor Jeff Brandt to talk about...

ALPS In Brief Podcast Cybersecurity
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A procrastinator's To Do list

4 min read

Procrastination’s Dark Side

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Nov 20, 2024

I have a confession to make. I am a procrastinator. If there is a Procrastinator’s Anonymous, I’m pretty sure they would accept me as a card-carrying...

Law Practice Management
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word cloud of common words lawyers used to describe their feelings about AI

3 min read

AI in the Legal Industry: How Do Lawyers Feel?

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Oct 17, 2024

ALPS recently surveyed legal industry professionals to learn more about how solo and small firm lawyers feel about the use of generative AI in the...

Law Practice Management Cybersecurity
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Law firm coverage options can vary just like umbrellas! Make sure you choose the prior acts coverages that make sense for your law firm.

2 min read

A Primer on Prior Acts Coverage for the Solo and Small Firm Attorney

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Sep 18, 2024

What is Prior Acts Coverage? Prior acts coverage (PAC) is a feature of claims-made malpractice insurance policies. Its purpose is to provide...

Solo and Small Firm Resources Insurance for Law Firms
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In this episode of ALPS In Brief, our Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte sits down with Attorney Ann Moderie to talk about a suicide that should have never happened.

17 min read

ALPS In Brief Podcast - Episode 86: The Troubled Teen Industry through the Eyes of an Attorney Who Tried to Make a Difference

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Sep 12, 2024

ALPS In Brief Podcast Attorney Wellness Women in Law
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ALPS In Brief Podcast - Episode 85: Listening to Your Life with Entrepreneur Troy De Baca

21 min read

ALPS In Brief Podcast - Episode 85: Listening to Your Life with Entrepreneur Troy De Baca

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Aug 8, 2024

ALPS In Brief Podcast Attorney Wellness
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a little gift of pro bono work can go a long way

4 min read

Is It Risky to Agree to Do Pro Bono Work?

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Aug 7, 2024

If you're hesitant to do pro bono work based upon a belief that this type of work is risky, I'm here to say "not necessarily!" To understand why,...

Solo and Small Firm Resources Law Practice Management
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Attorney moonlighting

3 min read

For Lawyers, Is Moonlighting Worth It?

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jul 17, 2024

To take a side job or not to take a side job ... truth be told, the answer to this question is one where reasonable minds can see things differently....

Solo and Small Firm Resources
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A glass house as a metaphor for the risk of assisting your client with their Corporate Transparency Act fulfillment obligations

3 min read

Corporate Transparency Act Risks for Solo & Small Firm Attorneys - A Risk Manager’s Perspective

Picture of Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte, Risk Manager: Jun 19, 2024

I’m sure this will come as no surprise; but as a risk manager with a law degree who works for a malpractice insurance company, I’m not one who...

Law Practice Management
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