What this letter does (and does not do). This letter is exploratory notice of a potential claim — not a formal claim, demand for limits, or settlement offer. Most law firms carry professional-liability (lawyers' E&O) coverage through carriers such as ABA Insurance Services, ALPS, AON Affinity, CNA, Lawyers Mutual, Westport Insurance, or state-specific underwriters. Because the consumer typically has no way to identify the carrier, the letter is addressed generically to "Professional Liability Insurance Carrier" in care of the firm, with a written request that the firm forward it to its carrier under the firm's standard notice-of-circumstance obligation. Notification typically:

Triggers the carrier's reservation-of-rights process
Requires the carrier to inform its insured (the firm) of the notice
Creates an internal compliance event reflected in the firm's loss-history record
Preserves the consumer's ability to pursue a formal claim later within the applicable statute of limitations

Letter Inputs

Sender (You)

Your name *

Your role / capacity

If you signed the engagement personally, choose "individual." If you signed on behalf of a business entity, choose "corporate principal" and fill in Entity name below.

Role description (only if "Other" selected)

Entity name (corporate client; optional)

Mailing address *

Phone

Insured Firm

Firm name (the insured) *

Firm address *

Primary attorney whose conduct is at issue *

Identify the lawyer most directly involved in the conduct giving rise to the potential claim. Additional lawyers can be referenced in the conduct description.

Conduct Giving Rise to Potential Claim

Category (driver of standard language)

Selecting a category prepends a short standard descriptor; you can edit the body in the description field below.

Brief description of conduct *

Keep this factual and concise. The letter is exploratory notice, not a brief. The carrier's adjuster will request more information if they need it.

Conduct start date

Conduct end date

Leave blank if the conduct is ongoing — the letter will say "ongoing through present."

Harm & Posture

Approximate dollar amount of harm (optional)

If unknown, leave blank or enter "to be determined." The letter intentionally avoids a hard demand figure — this is exploratory notice, not a settlement offer.

Have you retained counsel for this matter?

If you have retained counsel, your attorney typically sends the carrier letter directly. This tool is most useful for unrepresented consumers.

Jurisdiction

State (drives the statute-of-limitations note) *

Legal-malpractice statutes of limitations vary by state and by accrual rule. The note is informational only; verify your specific deadline with a licensed attorney.

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Where this fits in the broader methodology

Multi-surface accountability roadmapFramework — five-stage sequence (this is supplemental)
Preservation / litigation-hold letter generatorSibling tool — sent first to lock the record
Client-file demand letter generatorStage 2 — the underlying conduct often triggered a demand letter first
Spoliation duty & records preservationDoctrine — referenced by the records-preservation paragraph
Why your client file belongs to youDoctrine — Rule 1.16(d) overview

One more reminder: Template tool, not legal advice. The Open Bankruptcy Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 41-5159631) providing free informational tools. Consult a licensed attorney before sending any legal correspondence, particularly regarding statute-of-limitations deadlines, accrual-rule analysis, and the strategic timing of any communication that may affect your rights against an insurer or insured. The accuracy and content of any letter generated by this tool are solely the user's responsibility.