The State Bar's Volunteer Lawyers Program offers malpractice coverage to volunteer lawyers who accept referrals involving low-income clients or the nonprofit organizations that serve them and to volunteer lawyers serving in State Bar-sponsored legal clinics directed at low-income clients.
Inside the
Bar
January 2005
Free insurance for pro bono lawyers
The State Bar's Volunteer Lawyers Program offers
malpractice coverage to volunteer lawyers who accept referrals involving
low-income clients or the nonprofit organizations that serve them and to
volunteer lawyers serving in State Bar-sponsored legal clinics directed
at low-income clients.
"We hope this new member benefit will make it easier for lawyers to
help serve Wisconsin's poorest residents' unmet legal needs," says State
Bar Pro Bono Coordinator Jeff Brown.
Currently, volunteer lawyers who do not have coverage or lawyers who
are concerned that a claim in a pro bono matter will count against their
firm's insurance policy have few options. Legal Action of Wisconsin in
southern Wisconsin and Wisconsin Judicare in northern Wisconsin have
excellent volunteer lawyer programs that provide insurance coverage for
attorney volunteers. However, many otherwise eligible clients cannot
obtain assistance through those organizations due to legal restrictions
on the organizations' funding and the overall decline in funding of
civil legal services for the indigent.
"This insurance is designed to help fill that gap by ensuring that
residents will have a better chance of obtaining help," says Brown.
"Government, in-house, part-time, and retired lawyers will be
particularly well served by this new benefit. For lawyers in private
practice, the policy includes an endorsement making it the primary
source for professional liability coverage even if the volunteer lawyer
or firm already has coverage."
For more information,
contact Brown at (608) 250-6177, or (800)
444-9404, ext. 6177.
Inside the
Bar
