Legal Aid & Public Defender Policy Summary
CNA understands that Legal Aids and Public Defenders are looking for quality coverage at an affordable price. We have worked to provide maximum coverage for you and your law practice while keeping premiums reasonable. Please take a few minutes to review the Legal Aid & Public Defender policy summary listed below.
- A broad definition of "Insured" inclues "any person who was, is or hereafter during the policy period becomes a lawyer, employee, member or volunteer of the Named Insured while rendering Professional Services for or on behalf of clients of the Named Insured.
- The broad definition of "Professional Services" extends coverage to include "services adjunct to legal services" thereby reflecting an understanding of and an appreciation for the diversity of services provided by policyholders.
- The full amount of the professional liability limit is extended to personal injury claims.
- Retroactive Dates (if any), which appear on a prior policy, are matched.
- The policy wording contains the insuer's commitment to respect the preference of the policyholder in the selection of defense counsel. To date, policyholder's preference has been accommodated each time a preference has been expressed.
- The policy provides coverage for defense costs resulting from a range of proceedings, specifically, "any grievance proceeding, judicial proceeding, disciplinary proceeding or administrative proceeding" with a claims expense limitation of $50,000.
- The policy provides coverage for damages and claims expenses caused "by any Act of the Insured, or any other person for whose Acts the Insured is legally responsible, and arising out of the rendering of or failure to render Professional Services by or on behalf of the Insured for clients of the Named Insured."
- The Criminal Defense Endorsement provides coverage for the defense of criminal proceedings brought against an insured with a sublimit of $50,000.
- The Employment Practices Coverage Endorsement, written as an endorsement to the Management Liability Errors & Omissions Endorsement, affords coverage for claims alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harrassment, failure to hire or promote or similiar employment matters. This coverage is subject to a sublimit of the Management Liability Errors & Omssions Endorsement.
- The Management Liability Errors & Omissions Endorsement extends the profesional liability policy to the delivery of pro bono legal assistance by insured under the basic policy with no sublimit.
- The Primary Pro Bono Endorsement provides primary coverage for legal services provided by participants in specified pro bono, judicare and other special programs sponsored by policyholders.
- The Punitive Damages Endorsement extends coverage to claims for punitive or exemplary damages, where allowed by state law, with a sublimit of $50,000.