Lawyers' professional liability insurer Beazley has enlisted Brian Toohey to provide advice to Beazley clients.
Mr. Toohey retired from Jones Day in December 2012, where his practice focused on the defense of attorney malpractice claims and advising lawyers and law firms on risk management. He now serves on the advisory board of the Miller-Becker Center for Professional Responsibility. He is a frequent seminar speaker and writer on the subjects of lawyer liability, legal ethics, and professionalism.
Mr. Toohey is the past chair of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association's Ethics and Professionalism Committee and is a regular contributor to the “Ethics Perspectives” column in the association's journal. He is a member of the American Bar Association (Litigation Section) and is co-chair of the multijurisdictional practice subcommittee of the Litigation Section's Ethics and Professionalism Committee. He also is a member of the New York State, the Ohio State, and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Associations.
Ian Rose, head of Beazley's lawyers professional liability team, said, “In 27 years of underwriting professional liability insurance for U.S. law firms, we have seen many changes in firms' risk profiles. Among the most significant changes relate to the size and complexity of law firms, which can exacerbate the risks they run.
“This is an area in which Brian's vast experience and expertise can be enormously valuable to our clients. Jones Day is not only one of the largest and best regarded law firms in the world; it also globalized very early through its merger with Surrey & Morse in 1986. I am delighted that the wealth of experience that Brian has accumulated over more than 40 years will be available to our clients going forward.”
Victoria Spears
Victoria Prussen Spears is senior vice president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Brooklyn Law School, Ms. Spears was an attorney at a leading New York City law firm before joining Meyerowitz Communications. She may be contacted at [email protected].