[WSBAPT] What obligation does an attorney have to provide their malpractice information?

[Diane J. Kiepe]

Dalynne,

I am not sure why I am thinking this but I don't believe they have a duty to provide the information but typically if they are served, and if they have a malpractice policy, that is when they contact their policy holder directly.  The attorney would not want you contacting the carrier directly - does that make sense?

It seems to be I am remembering that attorneys in Washington are not required to carry malpractice and since I have always been covered I am not 100% sure I am remembering correctly but it seems there was quite a dialogue about this on this post site some time ago.

Diane J. Kiepe

Diane J. Kiepe
Douglas Eden
717 W. Sprague Ave.
Suite 1500
Spokane, WA  99201
djkiepe at depdslaw.com<mailto:djkiepe at depdslaw.com>
509-455-5300

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Dalynne Singleton
Sent: Friday, September 11, 2020 3:13 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] What obligation does an attorney have to provide their malpractice information?

I find myself having to make a claim against an attorney for my client (attorney was PR and probate attorney in estate where my client is an heir) and I have asked for the attorney's malpractice information.  Crickets.
I contacted WSBA ethics hotline and although RPC 1.4 (c) is being looked at as an addition to address this in 2020, nothing seems to strike me in the rules that there is a duty to provide when requested.
I called WSBA and left a VM with the same request as the website shows he has malpractice insurance.

Any help from those who handle legal malpractice claims or who have found duty to provide this information?

Dalynne Singleton
Gourley Law Group
Snohomish Escrow
The Exchange Connection
1002 10th Street / PO Box 1091
Snohomish, WA 98291
360.568.5065
360.568.8092  fax
dalynne at glgmail.com<mailto:dalynne at glgmail.com>
Website:  www.glglawgroup.com<http://www.glglawgroup.com>

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