The sixth edition of Traps for the Unwary is being
mailed to all MBA members this month. It is the first revision
since 2004, and mentions numerous new hazards for lawyers to
avoid.
"As laws and regulations increase in detail and complexity, more
traps are created for lawyers, especially for lawyers who accept
cases outside a narrow area of concentration," said James E. Harvey
Jr., editor-in-chief of the sixth edition. Harvey, managing partner
at O'Malley and Harvey LLP in Boston, also edited the first edition
of Traps, in 1988. He is a former co-chair of the MBA's
Civil Litigation Section.
"No one person knows all the traps that lurk in wait for lawyers,
so we are lucky to have the combined wisdom of more than 100
lawyers who have contributed to the project," he said.
The publication's broad range of topics includes:
- 26 short statutes of limitations;
- A new chapter, Settlements and Releases, with 16 entries;
- A list of obligations that are not dischargeable in
bankruptcy;
- The vulnerability of lawyers to large financial losses from
criminal fraud when they transfer funds between parties;
- The peculiar risks to lawyers insured under claims-made legal
malpractice policies; and
- The dangers to both plaintiff lawyers and defense counsel
resulting from statutes of repose.
This edition includes a table of cases, an all-new index and a
new system of organization, all designed to make Traps a
quick desktop reference.
Funding for Traps for the Unwary has been provided by the
MBA Insurance Agency Inc. n
A generous contribution from the MBA Insurance Agency Inc.
has enabled the MBA to publish Traps for the Unwary and
mail a copy to each member.