According to statistics from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), there were a record number of preliminary charges in recent years, the most in the EEOC’s nearly 50-year history.

Law firms are vulnerable to EPL charges and litigation as the pressures to operate with greater profitability escalate in our changing economy. High-profile claims against law firms for age discrimination that can result in eight-figure settlements are causing many firms to seriously consider the implementation of EPL risk management practices, as well as the purchase of EPL insurance.

For law firms, EPL claim exposures are driven by actions such as mergers, downsizing, failure to make partner or receive promotions, and workforce diversity issues.

To protect against potential financial disaster and damage to your firm’s reputation, EPL insurance is readily available with competitive terms and conditions. The ProQuest team structures EPL policies that address the unique exposures that law firms encounter. Coverage features may include:

• Flexible choice of counsel provisions
• Broad definition of insured to extend to partners, shareholders, and members, past and present
• An expansive definition of “wrongful act”
• More than $10 million in limits available
• Retentions starting at $50,000
• Coverage for third-party liability
• Coverage for punitive damages where insurable by law
• EPL insurance can be purchased in conjunction with management liability (ML) or as a separate, standalone policy