Legal Malpractice Insurance Center


Illinois Attorney Malpractice Insurance

We offer attorney malpractice insurance, also known as lawyers professional liability insurance, to Illinois law firms and attorneys, including solo attorneys and employed lawyers, practicing in all industries.

We have access to dozens of insurance companies and can offer coverage to any type of law firm in Illinois, from the small, low risk law firms to the large, high risk law firms. If you're having trouble finding affordable coverage because of your specialty or because you had a malpractice claim filed against you in the past, we can help.

What coverage does an attorney malpractice insurance policy provide in Illinois?

Attorney malpractice insurance is designed to pay for damages and defense in connection with claims arising from alleged or actual wrongful acts, errors or omissions committed by the insured.

In addition to the standard services provided by Illinois attorneys, some malpractice insurance policies also provide coverage to attorneys when providing services as:*
  • Lobbyist
  • Arbitrator
  • Mediator
  • Notary Public
  • Trustee
  • Receiver
  • Executor
  • Lobbyist
  • Financial Planner

* Coverage not provided by all insurance companies. Please review your policy for actual coverage.

Attorney malpractice insurance policies are provided on a claims made basis. This means that the policy in force is triggered by the reporting of a claim, not the policy which was in force when the act, error, or omission was committed. Claims resulting from an act, error, or omission which took place before the retroactive date are not covered. The retroactive date therefore determines the beginning of coverage.

Also, attorney malpractice insurance policies in Illinois typically provide coverage for paralegals, legal assistants, law clerks and other legal staff employed by the insured.

Why should Illinois attorneys and law firms carry attorney malpractice insurance?

Illinois lawyers and attorneys, like other professionals, face the risk of having a malpractice lawsuit filed against them. Some attorneys specialize in legal malpractice and file lawsuits against other attorneys on behalf of clients who believe their attorneys were negligent.

Some legal malpractice verdicts have been for tens of millions of dollars, which is sufficient to bankrupt most law firms in Illinois.

According to the American Bar Association, the most common types of malpractice claims include the failure to know or apply the law, planning errors, inadequate discovery or investigation, failure to file documents, failure to schedule, and failure to know deadlines.

Due to the complexity of most lawsuits, the challenging legal environment, the large number of parties involved, and the various deadlines which must be met, it is easy for attorneys to make an error or omission, even if trivial, which may later be used as a basis for a legal malpractice claim. It is therefore important for Illinois law professionals to carry attorney malpractice insurance with adequate limits and coverage.