ALIAdvisories – Law Society of Alberta

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ALIAdvisories

The Alberta Lawyers Insurance Association (ALIA) works collaboratively with the Law Society to build and deliver a robust loss prevention and risk management program for Alberta lawyers.

Resource	Summary
Reported Pandemic-Related Litigation Delays and Confusion, When to Report a Claim or Potential Claim, What is Covered under Group Policy	Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (“ALIA”) and the Law Society of Alberta have received reports of pandemic-related court delays that may expose lawyers to claims related to delayed litigation or missed limitation periods and key deadlines. Continued confusion around suspension of limitation periods also has been reported.
Upcoming Policy Changes, Your Claims Prevention Resource	The Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (“ALIA”) is rolling out two major changes to the indemnity program’s Group Policy coverage: the addition of a late notice provision for claims or potential claims first made after June 30, 2020, and restrictions on foreign law coverage that will become effective a year from now on July 1, 2021.
ALIA 2020-2021 Levy Reduced by 23% to a 10-Year Low	The Alberta Lawyer’s Indemnity Association (ALIA)’s 2020-2021 annual levy will be reduced to $2,533 for Part A and $388 for Part B, for a total of $2,921. This is the lowest that the Part A levy has been since the 2009-2010 Policy Year and the lowest that the Part B levy has ever been.
Employee Theft: Are you Covered?	Did you know? ALIA covers theft by Participating Lawyers, not by law firm staff or others.
New Name, Same ALIA	For more than 30 years, ALIA has been operating the mandatory indemnity program providing Alberta’s private practice lawyers with professional liability coverage. For the 2019/2020 policy year, that coverage will stay the same – but now through ALIA under a different name.
Enhanced Surcharge Protocol starts July 1, 2019	As directed by the governing board of the mandatory indemnity program for Alberta lawyers (the “Program”), an Enhanced Surcharge Protocol for the Program is being rolled out effective July 1, 2019. The Enhanced Surcharge Protocol will benefit a large majority of Alberta’s private practice lawyers by shifting more of the costs of multiple paid claims onto the relatively few lawyers who incur them. These changes will also help offset the increasing costs of defending and resolving claims.
Cybercrime and Other Data Breaches: Protect Yourself and Clients with Insurance Coverage	Cybercrime is on the rise in Canada. Lawyers are considered valuable targets for hackers, not only because of the funds they hold, but because they may possess sensitive information about corporate acquisitions and other strategic transactions, intellectual property and pending litigation. Lawyers may also be targeted because of the clients they represent.
Dismissal for Long Delay and Prejudice	The Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (ALIA) has observed a significant increase in the number of claims resulting from Applications to Dismiss based upon long delay, and to a lesser extent, delay causing prejudice.
First Canadian Title Makes Subrogated Claim Against Alberta Lawyer	Lawyers considering the purchase of title insurance should be aware of the terms of the policies being sold in Alberta, and should not simply rely upon the statements made on a title insurer’s website or assume that title insurance provides them with no-fault coverage.