Off-the-Cuff Legal Advice Can Put Attorneys in Hot Water

Many lawyers are now reachable 24/7 thanks to smartphones, which makes it essential that they grasp the inherent risk in giving off-the-cuff legal advice, according to ethics-focused Big Law attorneys.

The lawyers speaking on a panel at Hinshaw & Culbertson’s Legal Malpractice & Risk Management Conferencein Chicago explained that a short phone call can actually lead to millions of dollars worth of legal woes for those who aren’t careful.

“Everyone wants to be responsive,” said John K. Villa, a partner with Williams & Connolly in Washington whose practice includes legal malpractice defense work.

But not everyone’s been sensitized ...