What Do the South Carolina Murdaugh Murders Have to Do with Your Trust Account?

On November 28, 2023, Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to 27 years in South Carolina state prison for the confessed crimes of stealing millions of dollars over the course of a decade from clients, friends, and family. Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his wife and son in March, a crime in which he maintains his innocence. Kathy Pope, a consultant with 30-years of experience in helping law firms manage their trust accounts, provides insight into how Murdaugh’s law firm could have prevented these crimes, and offers tips for ethically managing your trust account.   Read More +

Recovering from Mistakes

There exists in the legal profession an unrealistic expectation of perfection. I say unrealistic because I have not yet met a lawyer who has not made a mistake at some point in his or her career. The best lawyers make mistakes. If you practice long enough, you will make a mistake. This does not mean that you ar… Read More +

RM Alert-Common Errors in Estates and Trusts

Over the last few years, Lawyers Mutual has seen an increase in Estates and Trusts (E&T) claims.  In 2021, E&T claims were the third most common claims according to area of practice.  Only Plaintiff’s personal injury and residential real estate generated more claims by practice area.  Errors occur in both estate planning and estate administration. Two common E&T errors are:   Read More +

Understanding the LM Financial Fraud Exclusionary Endorsement in Your LM Professional Liability Insurance Policy

Wire Fraud losses continue to plague real estate transactions, resulting in millions of dollars of losses around the country. The most common scenario is the buyer receiving altered wiring instructions. The State Bar is now holding the closing attorney accountable for this loss even though the closing attorney … Read More +