Roundup: Wellness Week
In partnership with the Law Society of Manitoba and the Law Society of Saskatchewan, CLIA hosted Well-Being in the Legal Profession Week, May 12th to 16th. Building on the theme of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Week of Unmasking Mental Health and the results of the National Study on the Health and Wellness Determinants of Legal Professionals in Canada, we shared blog posts and free daily webinars available to members in CLIA jurisdictions.
Roundup: Fraud
CLIA has a strong commitment to loss prevention. We take a proactive approach to avoiding claims and developed a Loss Prevention Strategic Plan to more focus our energies on helping lawyers find the loss prevention resources they need.
Roundup: Good Communications
Poor communication is a leading cause of professional liability claims against lawyers. As such, we’ve focused on providing communications tips and resources to help lawyers increase the effectiveness of their communications with clients and other lawyers:
VEP: Deadline July 31st for New Customers
Time is running out for new customers to apply for CLIA’s Voluntary Excess Program (VEP). Applications can be submitted until July 31st!
Roundup: New Contributor Matthew Coleman
CLIA provides mandatory errors and omissions coverage to nine jurisdictions across Canada. While there is some commonality between the provinces, each has its own particular needs and issues. As such, we are continually on the hunt for new voices and perspectives from each of the CLIA jurisdictions.
Roundup: New Lawyer’s Guide to Avoiding Mistakes
Being a new lawyers can be overwhelming. While law school, the bar course and articling can teach skills such as legal research and writing, new lawyers may still need guidance in some of the day-to-day strategies to work more efficiently and effectively. The ‘New Lawyer’s Guide to Avoiding Mistakes’ series by blog contributors Kelsey Barnes and Zina Scott shares numerous tips to help new and more experienced lawyers alike:
Roundup: The Wellness Docket
The CLIA team first met Erin Durant when she spoke at our AGM about mental health and wellness in the legal profession. We were thrilled when she agreed to share her experiences with our blog readers, and her series, The Wellness Docket, has become one of our most popular:
Roundup: About CLIA
While many of our posts focus on loss prevention, wellness and cyber awareness, we do like to sneak in the occasional tidbit about who we are and what we do. The blog can be searched by category – check out the About CLIA category for posts like those below:
Roundup: Wellness Toolkit
As noted by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, “legal professionals are at higher risk of experiencing stress, anxiety, depression and substance use than are other professionals”. We also know that many claims result from wellness issues. As such, CLIA recognizes the importance of promoting wellness for the profession.
Roundup: Voluntary Excess Program (VEP)
Don’t yet have excess coverage? If you are a new customer, applications can be submitted to CLIA’s Voluntary Excess Program (VEP) until July 31st, 2025.
Roundup: Loss Prevention Repository
In case you missed it, CLIA relaunched our Loss Prevention Online Repository in 2025. The Repository houses a collection of links to numerous checklists, tips, articles, videos and guides created by our subscribers and partners. See our posts below
2025 CLIA Board Changes
CLIA could not do the work we do without our strong and dedicated Board. Our Board is comprised of seven outstanding professionals with extensive knowledge of insurance and the legal profession.
Last Minute Excess Coverage Info
Only a few days left to renew your excess coverage! If you are an existing customer, the renewal period is open until June 30th, 2025. If you are a new customer, applications can be submitted until July 31st, 2025.
Reconciling the Need for Empathy with Low EQ
Several of my posts this year have focused on the importance of plain language for our profession. Good, clear communication is a vital component of client management as it helps us better understand our client’s needs and enable the client to make informed decisions.
2024 CLIA Annual Report – Message from the Chair
Interested in learning more about CLIA and the progress we made in achieving our strategic goals in 2024? The 2024 CLIA Annual Report can now be found on the CLIA website.
Managing Client Expectations: Tips and Tricks
One of the most critical skills a young lawyer can develop is not necessarily displayed in the Courtroom, it’s the art of managing client expectations. While legal practice is about crafting arguments, interpreting case law and legislation, and zealous advocacy, it is also a customer service industry.
Voluntary Excess Insurance: Need and Availability
CLIA provides long-term professional liability insurance solutions for the legal profession in many Canadian jurisdictions. Lawyers in a CLIA Subscribing jurisdictions have Mandatory Errors and Omissions (E & O) insurance with a limit of $1M per claim and a $2M annual aggregate limit;
The Secrets to a Lengthy Career in Law
One significantly underutilized resource by struggling licensees are retired lawyers and very senior lawyers in the twilight of their careers. Some have left their firms due to mandatory partner retirement ages and others retire on their own accord. I think that we can be a bit too quick to encourage those individuals to move on and that we underestimate the value that they bring to a legal workplace.
Think You Might Have a Claim – Report by June 30th!
Lawyers in CLIA jurisdictions are required to report a claim as soon as practicable after learning of a claim or becoming aware of circumstances which might give rise to a claim, however unmeritorious. On July 1, 2025, the current CLIA mandatory policy of Professional Liability Insurance will expire, and a new Policy will come into effect.
Wellness Toolkit: Resources for Retirees and Seniors
CLIA recognizes the importance of promoting wellness for the profession. To help, we have compiled a repository of wellness resources based on the findings of the National Study on the Health and Wellness Determinants of Legal Professionals in Canada prepared by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, the Canadian Bar Association and the Université de Sherbrooke.