Profession
Professional liability insurance for Legal Services
Solo attorneys, small law firms, paralegals, and legal support providers.
Risks we see most
What actually goes wrong.
- Missed filing deadlines
- Conflicts of interest
- Alleged inadequate representation
Quick qualifier
LiveGet My Rates
We shop up to 25 A-rated carriers and email your best options, usually within minutes.
Illustrative claim scenarios
How a policy responds.
Statute missed
Filing deadline lapsed; client sued for the value of the lost claim.
Scenarios are illustrative examples of how this coverage is designed to respond — they are not actual client cases, and coverage always depends on policy terms and underwriting.
Where you work
Legal Services coverage, state by state.
What professional liability covers for Legal Services
Lawyers professional liability (LPL) responds when a client alleges your legal work harmed them — a blown statute of limitations, a missed filing or appeal deadline, a drafting error in a contract or estate document, a conflict of interest, or settlement advice they later regret. Missed deadlines remain the most common malpractice allegation in nearly every bar study, which is why calendar systems are underwriting questions. Paralegal firms, legal document preparers, mediators, and process servers occupy the same page with their own E&O forms sized to their scope.
LPL policies cover negligence in professional legal services, typically including defense of disciplinary/bar proceedings by sublimit. Nearly all are claims-made: continuous coverage and the retroactive date control whether past matters stay covered, and tail coverage matters enormously at retirement or firm dissolution. A handful of states require malpractice coverage or client disclosure of its absence — most leave it to the market, where clients, lenders, and co-counsel arrangements demand it anyway. Firms also add cyber liability (client files and trust-account fraud are prime targets) and an office BOP.
What legal professionals typically pay
LPL pricing turns on practice areas (plaintiff PI, securities, IP, and real estate price high; insurance defense and general business lower), attorney count, prior claims, and state.
| Business profile | Typical annual E&O premium range* |
|---|---|
| Solo attorney, low-risk practice areas | ~$1,200 – $3,000 |
| Solo attorney, real estate / PI mix | ~$2,500 – $5,500 |
| Small firm (2–5 attorneys) | ~$5,000 – $15,000 |
| Paralegal / document-prep / mediation practices | ~$500 – $1,500 |
*Illustrative market ranges based on typical small-business placements; your premium depends on revenue, limits, claims history, contracts, and carrier appetite. Not a quote or offer of coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Is malpractice insurance required for attorneys?
Only a few jurisdictions mandate coverage (Oregon’s PLF is the famous example) — most states instead require disclosure to clients if you’re uninsured, or nothing at all. Market forces do the mandating: referral networks, co-counsel, lenders, and sophisticated clients expect coverage regardless of state rules.
What is a step-rated policy?
New solo policies often start at a discounted premium that “steps up” annually for five or so years as your claims-made exposure matures. It makes year-one affordable, but budget for the planned increases — they’re structural, not rate hikes.
Does LPL cover bar complaints?
Most forms include a disciplinary-proceedings sublimit (commonly $25k–$100k) paying defense counsel for bar grievances — used far more often than the liability limit. Verify the sublimit exists and whether it erodes your main limit.
I am of counsel at one firm and take my own clients. Who covers what?
The firm’s policy covers firm matters; your independent clients need your own policy — and each carrier will want the arrangement disclosed. Moonlighting without coverage alignment is a classic gap; claims from a side matter are routinely denied by the firm’s policy.
Related: cyber liability for client files · office BOP · E&O basics.