AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION

                 Those of us who own or lease a car know how important regular, preventive maintenance can be.  In addition to that regular lube, oil and filter, we know that checking belts, hoses, fluid levels, and tire pressure, among other things, while a little more costly in the short term, can help prevent that big, expensive repair in the future (“You can pay me now, or pay me later,” as one auto filter ad so cogently states.)

                Likewise, in the area of your professional practice, an ounce of prevention now may obviate the need for that pound of cure necessary to deal with either a State Bar investigation, a malpractice lawsuit, or both.  Do you have a potentially troublesome ethical situation you  might need some guidance on?  Are you wondering what your professional obligation might be in a particular circumstance?  Use my e-mail feature to send me an inquiry and receive a reply within twenty-four hours on most weekdays, or forty-eight hours on most weekends.  Or schedule an appointment with me to discuss your situation in greater detail.  Deal with that nettlesome problem now before it festers into something that can impact your reputation, ability to practice law and your income and resources.

                Do your trust accounting procedures comply with State Bar Rules of Professional Conduct?  Do your retainer agreements comply with the Business and Professions Code?  Do you have office procedures in place to deal expeditiously with client requests and civil litigation procedures?  What record keeping systems do you employ?  What tasks do you delegate, and how close do you supervise your staff?  I will be happy to come to your office to conduct an internal ethics audit to help uncover potential problem areas in your practice and to offer suggestions to improve your overall “ethical health.”