The Bar Plan Foundation recently announced the 2011 scholarship recipients. All of those awarded exemplified high standards for ethics and professionalism as law students and will continue to set examples for other lawyers as they continue their careers in the practice of law.

Congratulations to Lois Zerrer, member of The Bar Plan Surety and Fidelity Company's Board of Directors, for being recognized in The Missouri Bar's Best of CLE Spotlight for outstanding leadership and dedication to MoBar CLE.

The Bar Plan's Risk Manager, Christina Lewis Abate, was recently named by the St. Louis Bar Foundation as one of the 2011 Spirit of Justice Award Recipients.

The awards are intended to "recognize lawyers and non-lawyers who have demonstrated accomplishments, leadership and integrity in fostering and maintaining the rule of law and in facilitating and promoting improvement of the administration of justice."

The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company recently announced the addition of a new Board Member, Michael J. Delaney. Delaney began his insurance career in St. Louis in 1973 and developed a specialty in casualty related claims management.

1. Begin the assessment process. Photograph or videotape all damage for claim

In today’s economy, it seems everyone is looking for the “best deal” in virtually every purchase they make. This is no less true for lawyers and their professional liability insurance. Insurance companies are also looking to provide the best possible premium offer in a competitive market, by applying all possible credits and no unnecessary debits when considering the application in the underwriting process.  

The Bar Plan recently added Tyler Breed as Claims Counsel and Joseph Allen as a Marketing Coordinator.

The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company recently announced the installment of new Officers to its Board of Directors.  Jerome (Jerry) Brant is the new Chairman of the Board, effective immediately. Jerry replaces outgoing Chairman, David Larson, who has retired from the Board after serving for 25 years. Larson will remain as a trustee of The Bar Plan Foundation.

The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company is pleased to announce that we have expanded our lawyers’ professional liability insurance program into Tennessee with the endorsement of the Tennessee Bar Association (“TBA”).   

The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company is pleased to announce the addition of its newest Board Member, John R. Gunn. Gunn has been an insured of The Bar Plan since 2001, and his active involvement in various Bar Associations, which parallels The Bar Plan’s mission to support local attorneys, makes him an ideal member of the Board of Directors at The Bar Plan. 

“We are excited to have John join our Board,” said Karen McCarthy, President & CEO of The Bar Plan. “As a practicing attorney and an insured of The Bar Plan for many years, his experiences will give us a fresh perspective on how to best meet the needs of our insureds.”

The Bar Plan Foundation is excited to announce the addition of its newest Foundation Board Member, Keith Birkes. Mr. Birkes has been the Executive Director of The Missouri Bar since 1985, but has worked in various capacities with The Missouri Bar since 1975.

Christina Lewis Abate, Risk Manager for The Bar Plan Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri, was recently appointed to serve as Chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Ethics and Professionalism Committee. Her year-long appointment begins on August 1, 2010.

Chris Stiegemeyer, Director of Risk Management was recently interviewed by Missouri Lawyers Weekly regarding past-due client bills for services rendered by a law firm. The article includes tips to handle the problem of delinquent payments. 

Karen McCarthy, President and CEO of The Bar Plan, was featured in the January 2010 issue of IN Magazine, a publication published by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) for property/casualty insurers. The article focuses on the rise and success of women in the insurance industry.

Chris Stiegemeyer recently authored an article in the Association of Corporate Counsel newsletter regarding the importance of part-time coverage for in-house counsel.

The economic downturn has caused many law firms to look for ways to cut their budgets. But for certain expenditures, firms need to look beyond the initial outlay. Choosing a malpractice carrier to protect your professional reputation is one such expense that should not be based on price alone. The policy that seems like a deal today may end up costing lawyers much more in the long-term.

Chris Stiegemeyer, Director of Risk Management recently authored an article in the ABA Journal regarding Estate Planning and the importance of drafting an effective closing letter, protecting both the attorneys’ and the clients’ interests, at the end of the representation.

The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company is now providing Alabama attorneys the option to purchase court bonds. Kimberly Edgar, Vice President of Surety Underwriting, said “In conducting our research, Alabama seemed to have a need for additional buying options for court bonds, and we are happy to meet that demand.”

The way in which time is calculated for the federal courts will be better defined as of December 1, 2009. For instance: when is 10 days really 14 days? For the federal courts, when weekends or a holiday intervenes. This has been a source of confusion for litigants, lawyers, court staff, and even judges. The time-computation rules amendments are at www.uscourts.gov/rules. A presentation explaining the amended rules and their operation in court proceedings is available at www.uscourts.gov/rules/presentations.html.