What would happen if you could not come to the office tomorrow? If someone walked into your office, could they figure out which clients need attention, and what actions are required to protect their interests?
Succession planning is essential to every lawyer’s practice. Having a current succession plan in place proactively protects clients and colleagues in the event of the lawyer’s disability or death.
As a result, a lawyer’s unavailability—temporary or permanent, planned or unexpected—can have a significant impact on the provision of legal services, the stability of a law office, and the administration of justice itself. Accordingly, lawyers should consider creating and implementing a succession plan to ensure legal services are minimally disrupted in the event of a lawyer’s unavailability.
This State Bar guide will assist lawyers in planning for an unexpected absence.
