Legal Aid & Legal Services Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a legal aid & legal services business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for nonprofit legal aid and legal services organizations. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against your actual practice areas and volunteer programs.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers Professional Liability | Covers malpractice claims against staff attorneys — the core risk of legal services. | Core | |
| Volunteer & Pro Bono Attorneys | Covered Confirm volunteers, law students, and referral attorneys are insureds. | Core | |
| Directors & Officers | Covers board decisions, funder disputes, and regulatory claims. | Core | |
| Employment Practices Liability | Covers wage, discrimination, and termination claims by staff. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required by law; covers staff traveling to courts, homes, and jails. | Core | |
| Cyber / Privacy Liability | Covers breaches of client immigration, financial, and health records. | Prevalent | |
| Commercial General Liability | Covers injuries to clients and visitors at offices and clinics. | Prevalent | |
| Crime / Client Trust Funds | Covers theft from trust accounts and payment fraud. | Prevalent | |
| Non-Lawyer Advocate Coverage | Confirm paralegals and accredited representatives are covered for advice they give. | Prevalent | |
| Hired & Non-Owned Auto | Covers staff driving their own cars to courts and client visits. | Situational | |
| Media Liability | Needed if the organization publishes reports or runs public campaigns. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most often missed by legal aid organizations is the people who aren't on payroll. Volunteer attorneys, law students, and pro bono referral lawyers handle many cases, but a policy written for staff attorneys may not cover them — and the ABA recommends coverage for the program, its staff, and its volunteers. Non-lawyer advocates are a second gap. Confirm every volunteer and advocate is an insured, and that cyber coverage protects the sensitive client records you hold.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your legal aid & legal services coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Legal Aid & Legal Services Insurance · Legal Aid & Legal Services Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a legal aid & legal services business need?
The core coverages for a legal aid & legal services business are Lawyers Professional Liability, Volunteer & Pro Bono Attorneys, Directors & Officers, Employment Practices Liability, Workers' Compensation. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my legal aid & legal services coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.