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Insurance Glossary

The world of insurance for law firms can be confusing, and difficult to navigate. We've created this glossary because these common insurance terms should be easy to understand.

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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.

2 min read

What Lawyers Need to Know About Amazon Sidewalk

Call me crazy, but I simply don’t trust that Big Tech has my best interests at heart with everything they do. In fact, I think it’s quite the opposite. Big Tech became Big Tech by focusing on the interests of their stockholders and the bottom line....

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1 min read

Debut Demo of the first-of-its-kind Virtual Ethics Risk Assessment at the ABA’s 46th Annual National Conference on Professional Responsibility

Missoula, Montana, June 3, 2021 —ALPS, the nation’s largest direct writer of lawyers’ malpractice insurance, today launched a free virtual resource...

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2 min read

Why Documenting What You’re Not Retained to Do Can Be Important Too

In my experience, too many lawyers appear to be quite comfortable running with an assumption that their client’s understanding of what the scope of...

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15 min read

ALPS In Brief – Episode 57: How to Remain Cybersecure On the Road

As the world re-opens and you begin to stretch your legs, ALPS Risk Manager Mark B tells some true tales and offers some tips for safeguarding your...

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3 min read

Why It’s Worthwhile to Look for the Learning with Problem Clients

When it comes to problem clients, we all have a story or two to share; but what if it becomes more than that? What if a lawyer comes to realize that...

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1 min read

A Malpractice Avoidance Checklist

If you were to collect everything I (and many others like me) have written on risk management for lawyers, I suspect the collection would fill a...

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3 min read

Five Things You Can Do to Help Keep Your Malpractice Insurance Premium in Line

I have been a risk manager here at ALPS for well over two decades now, which helps explain why I personally view the purchase of legal malpractice...

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2 min read

Why There is No Such Thing as a New Normal

I’ve been telecommuting for over a decade now, so when a COVID-19 stay at home order finally made its way to Montana, not much changed for me...

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10 min read

ALPS In Brief – Episode 55: Estate Planning Gone Wrong

In this episode of the ALPS In Brief podcast, Mark Bassingthwaighte offers some insights in the arena of estate planning that are commonly...

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3 min read

Preparing for an Extended Absence – Advice for the Solo Attorney

Given how difficult it can be to try and take a planned absence, such as a long vacation or maternity or paternity leave, it’s no wonder that having...

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2 min read

Why Taking Another Look at the Risk of Inadvertent Disclosure at Your Firm Might Be Worthwhile

A lawyer and non-lawyer business partner own a business. These two have a falling out and litigation ensues. The non-lawyer business partner and...

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23 min read

ALPS In Brief – Episode 54: The ALPS Vision Was, In Hindsight, 2020

Accountability, integrity, commitment. These values provide the lens through which ALPS realizes its vision. To live these values requires a...

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2 min read

How to Deliver Bad News

Difficult conversations can be, well difficult; particularly if the purpose of the conversation is to pass along bad news. After all, who looks...

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