Contact Law Mutual
Phone: (08) 94813111
Fax: (08) 9324 8699
Our office hours are 9.00am to 4.00pm
Insurance: info@lawmutualwa.com.au
Claims: claims@lawmutualwa.com.au
Risk Management : risk@lawmutualwa.com.au
Law Mutual (WA) was established by the Law Society to administer the professional indemnity insurance arrangements (the PII arrangements).
The major functions of Law Mutual (WA) are to:
- obtain competitively priced insurance coverage for Western Australian law practices and practitioners
- implement risk management strategies to reduce the instances of claims
- establish an efficient claims management service
The details of the PII arrangements can be found in the Annual Information Booklet . As part of the PII arrangements a Master Policy has been taken out by the Law Society.
Insurance
The PII arrangement is governed by the Act and the Legal Profession Uniform Law. The coverage provided by the PII arrangement is set out in the annual Master Policy.
Annual Contributions (commonly referred to as premiums) can be paid by EFT, cheque, credit card or premium funding. The Act requires law practices to pay their Annual Contribution and any administration levy by 15 May preceding the commencement of the Insurance Year (Section 158).
Claims and Notifications
Law Mutual manages claims against an insured law practice or practitioners in accordance with its Claims Management Policy.
As stated in the Policy, Law Mutual’s aim in managing claims is to:
- ensure that insureds are financially protected and able to continue to offer legal services; and
- compensate the consumers of legal services for loss caused by its insureds professional negligence.
An insured can notify Law Mutual of a claim or circumstances that might give rise to a claim by downloading and submitting a Notify us of a Claim form. Law Mutual’s objective is to ensure any notification is handled as swiftly and efficiently as possible to avoid further distress. For more information, please call us on (08) 9481 3111.
Risk Management
Law Mutual’s risk management mandate is stated in its Risk Management Policy (for insureds). The mandate is to assist insureds to manage the risk of professional liability in the provision of legal services.
Law Mutual offers a range of risk management seminars. The Risk Management Seminar Programme 2022/2023 has been developed to focus on the needs of different categories of practitioners and law practices, whilst prioritising topics from the Practice and Matter Management Guidelines and reflecting issues identified in claims and risk profiling.
Practitioners are not required to attend a Law Mutual risk management seminar. However, law practices will be able to obtain a 5% discount on their base Annual Contribution Amount for the following insurance year if all of the Principals (partners or legal practitioner directors) and at least 80% of the employed practitioners of the law practice have attended at least two (2) hours of Law Mutual approved risk management training in the period 1 March to 28 February, subject to documentary evidence of attendance being produced upon request.
Law Mutual (WA) also provides tools and resources such as the Risk Control Map and Practice Management and Matter Management Guidelines to assist practitioners.
Publications
Annual Information Booklet
Please note, the hyperlinks within some editions may not work due to reference material being removed.
Master Policy
Please note, the hyperlinks within some editions may not work due to reference material being removed.
Risk Management Presentations
- COVID-19 Pandemic Risk Management for Legal Practices
- Accountability Responsibility and Authority – its all about the limits
- Practice Management – Accountability Responsibility and Limits to Authority
- Matter Management Guidelines – Providing
- Matter Management Guidelines – Screening
- Out of Practice – Risks of Straying outside usual area of work
- Focusing on information and communication – getting it right in the delivery stage
Please note, the hyperlinks within some editions may not work due to reference material being removed.
Law Mutual (WA) News
- Law Mutual (WA) News – 15 August 2022
- Law Mutual (WA) News – Risk Management 2022/23 Programme
- Law Mutual (WA) News – 3 June 2022
- January 2021 – COVID-19 Member Alert
- Law Mutual (WA) News – Monthly Snapshot November 2021
- Law Mutual (WA) News – Email is Convenient but is it Secure?
- Law Mutual (WA) News – Monthly Snapshot August 2021
- Law Mutual (WA) News – Risk Management Workshops 2021
- Law Mutual (WA) News – Risk Management 2021/22 Programme Release
- December 2020
- September 2020
- April 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- December 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- December 2018
- April 2018
- October 2017
- August 2017
- May 2017
- February 2017
Please note, the hyperlinks within some editions may not work due to reference material being removed.
Risk Alerts
- February 2021: Phishing Scam Targeting PEXA Members
- October 2020: Important Changes to Workers’ Compensation Legislation
- April 2020: COVID-19 Pandemic and Risk Management
- July 2019: Cyber Security
- February 2019: PPSR Expirations
- August 2018: The PEXA Guarantee
- July 2018: Is Email the ‘Weakest Link’?
- February 2018: 10 Tips to Protect You from Email Fraud
- December 2017: Email Scam Warning
Please note, the hyperlinks within some editions may not work due to reference material being removed.
Quick Links
Claims
Claims Management Policy
Notification of Claim or Circumstance Form
Ethical Guidance Panel
Insurance Arrangements
2023/24 Annual Information Booklet
2023/24 Master Policy
2023/24 Summary of Substantive Changes to Master Policy
2022/23 Annual Information Booklet
2022/23 Master Policy
2021/22 Annual Information Booklet
2021/22 Master Policy
Legal Profession Uniform Law Act 2022
Legal Profession Uniform Law Regulations 2022
Risk Management
Risk Management Policy
Risk Management Seminar Registration Form
(see Risk Management Page for full Programme Details)
Risk Management Approval Form
Insurance Forms
2023/2024 Application Form — New Legal Practices
2023/2024 Form 1A — Additional Practitioner
2023/2024 Application Form — Existing Legal Practices
2022/2023 Application Form — New Law Practices
2022/2023 Form 1A — Additional Practitioner
Contact
Level 4, 160 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000
Postal: PO Box Z5345 Perth WA 6831
Telephone: (08) 9481 3111
Facsimile: (08) 9324 8699
Email: info@lawmutualwa.com.au