Insurance Law

Costs of malware attack on DLA Piper could be in the millions; does insurance cover it?

Appropriate insurance could cover many of the costs associated with the malware attack on DLA Piper last month, insurance experts say.

Cyberattack insurance could cover external support, loss of income and bringing computer systems back online, according to insurance experts who spoke with Legal Week (sub. req.).

Jul 10, 2017 9:38 AM CDT

Victimized by ransomware, law firm sues insurer for $700K in lost billings

A Rhode Island law firm has filed a lawsuit against its insurer over coverage for a ransomware attack that locked down the firm’s computer files for three months. Moses Afonso Ryan, a 10-lawyer law firm in Providence, says it paid $25,000 in ransom, but the amount is far less than…

May 2, 2017 11:09 AM CDT

ABA to offer cyber liability insurance

The ABA is adding cyber liability coverage to its insurance offerings for law firms. The cyber insurance, underwritten by Chubb Limited, covers law firm expenses associated with hacking, including the costs of network extortion, income loss and forensics, according to an ABA press release. Liability protection and defense costs are…

Feb 28, 2017 8:21 AM CST

10 Troutman Sanders partners in Chicago and DC jump to UK-based law firm

The London-based law firm Clyde & Co is opening offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., that will be staffed by 10 partners and other lawyers from Troutman Sanders. The partners handle insurance disputes and litigation, according to a press release and a story by the Am Law Daily (sub. req.).…

Jan 30, 2017 3:07 PM CST

Federal judge blocks merger of Humana and Aetna on antitrust grounds

In a victory for the U.S. Justice Department, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., has blocked Aetna’s proposed $37 billion acquisition of Humana. U.S. District Judge John Bates ruled on Monday that the merger would reduce competition among health insurers and violate antitrust law, report the National Law Journal (sub.…

Jan 23, 2017 1:22 PM CST

Lawyer’s disclosure of sealed filing didn’t require dismissal of whistleblower suit, SCOTUS rules

Mississippi trial lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs’ disclosure of Hurricane Katrina fraud allegations against State Farm didn’t require dismissal of a whistleblower complaint against the insurer, even though the revelation violated a seal requirement, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled. The court ruled against State Farm on Tuesday in a unanimous…

Dec 6, 2016 12:29 PM CST

Single-payer health initiative goes down in defeat in Colorado

Voters in Colorado overwhelmingly rejected a proposed law that would have established a single-payer health care system in the state. On Tuesday, the proposed Amendment 69, or “ColoradoCare,” lost in a landslide at the polls. According to The Denver Post, nearly 80 percent of voters voted against the measure. The…

Nov 9, 2016 2:00 PM CST

Cybersecurity insurance is a ‘must have’ for law firms

Nearly a quarter of law firms with 500 or more attorneys have experienced a cybersecurity breach, according to those who responded to the ABA’s 2015 Legal Technology Survey Report.

Nov 1, 2016 1:40 AM CDT

ABA study suggests legal malpractice insurers are settling sooner

The costs of legal malpractice cases have increased since 2011, according to a study put out recently by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability. And malpractice insurers may be settling sooner to avoid those costs. That information comes from “Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims 2012-2015,” the most recent…

Oct 17, 2016 11:30 AM CDT

TV ad tells viewers about banned information in tort trials; civil defense bar claims tampering

Insurance defense lawyers in Georgia aren’t happy about a law firm’s TV ad that reveals information about banned testimony in car-crash cases. The Daily Report (sub. req.) has the story on the ad by plaintiffs firm Morgan & Morgan, which is running in nine states where the firm has offices.…

Oct 12, 2016 8:45 AM CDT

How can employers reduce the risk of Pokémon Go?

While players are immersed in augmented reality, property managers need to watch for real-world safety repercussions.

Oct 1, 2016 3:50 AM CDT

Lawsuit against Dave & Buster’s challenges reducing employee hours to avoid health insurance mandate

Renard Sanders remembers the day in 2013 when his bosses at Dave & Buster’s in Duluth, Georgia, called an early-morning meeting.

Oct 1, 2016 3:30 AM CDT

New York considers ‘textalyzer’ bill to allow police to see if drivers were texting behind the wheel

On a summer morning near Chappaqua, New York, in 2011, Evan Lieberman, 19, was carpooling with co-workers when the driver collided with another vehicle. Five occupants between the two cars were sent to the hospital.

Oct 1, 2016 3:20 AM CDT

Judge allows class action claiming State Farm secretly orchestrated Illinois justice’s campaign

A federal judge in Illinois has certified a class action that claims State Farm lied about its financial support of a state supreme court candidate who won election and voted to reverse a $1.05 billion judgment against the insurer. U.S. District Judge David Herndon approved class-action status for the suit…

Sep 21, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

Louisiana can’t withhold Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood, 5th Circuit rules

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a lower court’s injunction against Louisiana’s attempt to defund Planned Parenthood. A three-judge appellate panel said the health services provider likely would prevail at trial because plaintiffs would be denied both access to and choice of a medical…

Sep 15, 2016 4:15 PM CDT