CHICAGO, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Responding to strong market demand, Beazley Group, a leading insurer of professional liability for law firms with clients that include half of the AmLaw 100, has launched a confidential hotline service for their law firm clients with primary professional liability coverage led by Beazley. Clients who are confronting ethical or risk management dilemmas will have access to the hotline, which Beazley will subsidize.
The service will be provided by David Jargiello, a partner and general counsel at Virtual Law Partners LLP. The service will be protected by attorney-client privilege, ensuring that all exchanges between Mr. Jargiello and law firms remain confidential, including from Beazley.
Mr. Jargiello brings exceptional breadth of experience to this role, holding senior positions in four law firms during the course of his career to date, including general counsel roles at three firms. He has advised law firms of all sizes and practice areas, as well as risk retention groups and captives, on risk management issues.
Lloyd Fielder, head of Beazley's lawyers' professional liability team, said:
"A wide range of situations can generate thorny ethical and risk management dilemmas for law firms. If not resolved, these matters have the potential to generate multi-million dollar insurance claims. It is clearly in our interests and those of our clients to identify ways to 'nip in the bud' issues that could develop into claims.
"I am delighted that David will be offering this service to our clients. He is very familiar with the challenges and difficult choices that law firms have to make, particularly in these trying economic times. Our clients and the brokers with whom we work have left us in no doubt that the service will be valued."
Beazley has been underwriting lawyers' professional liability insurance for more than 20 years. The firm has assembled a senior level panel of advisors and consultants to guide its clients, including PricewaterhouseCoopers to advise on billing and expenses fraud and other client account related matters, and Kekst & Co to advise on reputation management in the event of a claim. In addition, all Beazley clients receive a quarterly bulletin, the Beazley Brief, focusing on topical risk management issues, as well as access to a dedicated website housing risk management advice and information.
Note to editors:
David Jargiello is a Partner of Virtual Law Partners LLP. He also serves as VLP's General Counsel. David began practicing law in 1989 at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati where he specialized in corporate finance and securities. In 1993, he was one of the original 14 lawyers who founded Venture Law Group, a leading Silicon Valley law firm that grew to over 120 lawyers in four offices. In 1996, he became VLG's General Counsel and served as part of the management team responsible for the oversight and management of the firm's business and professional matters. In that capacity, he also developed significant experience in matters of professional responsibility and the laws governing lawyers. When VLG merged with Heller Ehrman in 2003, David became a shareholder in the combined firm's Corporate/VLG Practice Group. He was a member of Heller's management committee as well as its General Counsel until joining VLP in 2008. David has served in management roles for the PILOT/Legis, AIMRRG and MPC lawyers' professional liability programs. Outside of private practice, from 2004 to 2007, David served on the Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct of The State Bar of California. He is a current member of the Opinions Committee of California Bar, as well as the Chairman of its Subcommittee on Legal Opinions in Venture Financings. He is a frequent speaker on matters of professional responsibility and risk management, primarily to law firm management or risk management teams. More information about David and his background can be found at http://www.virtuallawpartners.com/djargiello.html.
Beazley plc (BEZ.L), is the parent company of global, specialist insurance businesses with operations in the UK, US, France, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. Beazley manages four Lloyd's syndicates: Syndicate 2623 and Syndicate 623 underwrite a broad range of insurance and reinsurance business worldwide; Syndicate 3623 focuses on accident and health business; and 3622 is a dedicated life syndicate. In 2008, Beazley underwrote gross premiums of 875.7 million pounds Sterling. All Lloyd's syndicates are rated A by A.M. Best.
In the US, Beazley's underwriters focus on writing specialist insurance products in the admitted market, backed by Beazley Insurance Company, Inc., an admitted carrier in all 50 states; and surplus lines risks, backed by the Beazley syndicates at Lloyd's. Beazley Insurance Company, Inc. is rated A by A.M. Best.
Beazley is a market leader in many of its chosen lines, which include professional indemnity, property, marine, reinsurance, accident and life, and political risks and contingency business.
For more information please go to: http://www.beazley.com/.
Beazley Group
CONTACT: Lloyd Fielder, +1-646-378-4003, lloyd.fielder@beazley.com or
Brant Weidner, +1-312-506-6399, brant.weidner@beazley.com, both for Beazley
Group
Web Site: http://www.beazley.com/
