By the time June rolls around, most law firms are focused on deadlines, court schedules, and getting through the second half of the year without slowing down. Malpractice insurance rarely makes that list, until something goes wrong.
But mid-year is actually one of the best times to take a quick, practical look at your professional liability coverage. Not to overhaul it. Not to stress about it. Just to make sure nothing has drifted out of alignment since renewal.
Here’s a simple check-up that solo and small to mid-sized firms can run through in under an hour.
1. Have your practice areas shifted?
Even subtle changes in practice can affect risk exposure.
Ask yourself:
- Have you added a new practice area this year?
- Taken on more litigation, real estate, or transactional work than last year?
- Started handling higher-value matters or more complex clients?
Many claims don’t come from doing “new things", they come from doing more of the things that already carry higher exposure.
If your work has evolved, your policy should still reflect it accurately.
2. Are your client intake habits consistent?
A surprising number of malpractice issues trace back to intake, not litigation or drafting.
Review:
- Are engagement letters consistently used?
- Are scope-of-work limitations clearly defined?
- Do you still occasionally “start work first, formalize later”?
Even small inconsistencies in intake processes can create big coverage gaps in the event of a dispute.
3. Have you taken on new attorneys or staff?
Growth is good, but it changes your risk profile.
Check:
- Any new attorneys added since renewal?
- Paralegals or staff handling more independent client communication?
- Contractors or outside counsel involvement?
Make sure your policy reflects your current team structure and that everyone understands their role in risk management.
4. Are claims or incidents being documented?
Not every issue becomes a claim, but patterns matter.
Think about:
- Client complaints that were resolved informally
- Missed deadlines or close calls
- Communication breakdowns that were later “fixed”
If nothing is being tracked internally, small issues can repeat without warning.
A simple internal log can be one of the most effective risk management tools a firm has.
5. When was the last time you actually read your exclusions?
Most attorneys don’t revisit policy exclusions after renewal. That’s normal, but risky.
Common areas worth reviewing:
- Specific practice exclusions (if any)
- Cyber or data-related limitations
- Coverage triggers for regulatory proceedings
- Subpoena or crisis response coverage limits
The goal isn’t to memorize your policy—it’s to avoid surprises when you need it most.
6. Are you still shopping based on price alone?
This is where many firms unintentionally limit themselves.
Professional liability insurance varies widely in:
- Claims handling quality
- Prior acts coverage handling
- Risk management support
- Responsiveness during a claim
Price matters—but it’s only one part of the equation. The cheapest policy can become expensive very quickly if it doesn’t respond the way you expect when something happens.
A simple takeaway
A mid-year check-up isn’t about changing carriers or rewriting your coverage. It’s about making sure your policy still matches the firm you actually are, not the firm you were six months ago.
Most attorneys don’t think about malpractice insurance until renewal or after a problem arises. A quick review now can prevent surprises later.
If anything in your practice has shifted recently, it may be worth a more detailed review with your broker or carrier before year-end pressure sets in.
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