Legal Mutual to Sponsor
2003 MSBA Annual Meeting Welcome Reception

The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) and Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland (Legal Mutual) are pleased to announce that Legal Mutual will be the sponsor of the 2003 MSBA Annual Meeting Welcome Reception.

2003 MSBA Annual Meeting Welcome Reception

Sponsored by:
Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland

Wednesday, June 11, 2003
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Horizons Restaurant
Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel
10100 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, Maryland

Musical entertainment by:

Customer Service Tip: Don’t Engage in Debate

When a customer brings you a complaint, simply apologize and fix the problem immediately. Do not interrupt the customer as he/she is venting his/her grievance, and do not defend yourself. Instead, provide a refund, new item, or other fix for the problem. Remember: Any complaint about your product or service is also an opportunity to create a loyal customer. Obviously, you will not be able to comply with unreasonable customer requests, in which case you should offer a fair, moderate alternative.

Reprinted, with permission, from the February 2003 issue of Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C. Monthly Newsletter.

MORE KUDOS FOR LEGAL MUTUAL BOARD MEMBERS:
ALICE G. PINDERHUGHES, ESQUIRE ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY’S WOMEN’S INITIATIVE

Congratulations to Alice G. Pinderhughes, Esquire, for being one of 75 members of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society’s Women’s Initiative to donate $10,000.00 or more annually to the United Way of Central Maryland to support programs and services for women and their families.

Alice Pinderhughes, Cleaveland Miller & Louise Gonzales

Alice was named to the Legal Mutual board of directors on June 13, 1997. She was the first African-American named to the board, and only the second female member. Alice is also a member of the Legal Mutual Audit Committee. Obviously, a very busy woman!

The board members, officers and staff of Legal Mutual are proud to be associated with Alice, and are very proud of this wonderful accomplishment.

We join with the United Way of Central Maryland in saying “Thank you, Alice.

A newsletter of the Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland.

Please visit our web site at www.legalmutual.com for even more information and features.

STAFF

Walter E. Stewart, Jr.
Executive Vice President & COO

Kay G. Kenny
Assistant General Manager &
Marketing Coordinator

James P. Kreider, CPCU, RPLU
Underwriting Manager

Mary C. Nevius, Esquire
Supervising Claims Counsel

Nancy C. Lilly
Office Administrator

email_etiquette@work.com

Remember fax machines? Although most companies still have them, huge numbers of written business communications now take place via e-mail instead. Before you click “send,” be sure your e-mail messages:

· Stand out in a crowed inbox. Always use the subject line. Choose text that refers to the content of your message so it can be easily identified.

· Stay on task. Your messages should be brief and accurate. Resist the temptation to use the abbreviations that are popular with the “instant messaging” crowd – it’s not professional.

· Pass the grammar test. Always reread your messages and use spell- and grammar-checking software before sending them.

· Reach the right people. When you receive an e-mail that was sent to multiple people, don’t “reply to all” unless your response is relevant to all.

Reprinted, with permission, from the January 2003 issue of Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C. Client LINE

LEGAL MUTUAL 2003 CUSTOMER APPRECIATION AND
PRO BONO RESOURCE CENTER BENEFIT GOLF OUTING -- UPDATE

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Monday, August 4, 2003, for the 4th Legal Mutual Customer Appreciation and Pro Bono Resource Center Benefit Golf Outing to be held at the Hunt Valley Golf Club, 14101 Phoenix Road, Phoenix, Maryland 21131.

100% of the profits will be donated to the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland.

Legal Mutual Partnership Program golf sponsorships are available as follows:

*Includes free Level 1 ad for 1 year on the Legal Mutual web site

THE STARTING LINE-UP

The following sponsors are already on-board: where are you?

Event Sponsor:
· Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland - (410) 296-4101

Event Co-Sponsor:
· The Daily Record, Newspaper - (410) 752-1717

Silver Sponsors:
· Kramon & Graham, P.A., Law Firm - (410) 752-6030
· Legg Mason Investment Advisors - (410) 454-3109
· Onal & Associates, Inc., Insurance Agency - (410)768-8700
· Sasscer, Clagett & Bucher, Law Firm - (301) 627-5500

Bronze Sponsors:
· Anonymous
· Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P. C., CPA Firm & Business Consultants - (800) 337-5104
· Millennium Printing & Graphics - (301) 725-8000
· Semmes, Bowen & Semmes, Law Firm - (410) 539-5040
· U. S. Re Corp., Reinsurance Broker - (212) 808-5500
· Wright, Constable & Skeen, L.L.P., Law Firm – (410) 659-1300

Hole-In-One $1,000,000 Sponsors:
· Jules Dorner & Partners, L.L.C., Investigative Consultants – (410) 977-6522
· LMI Agency, Inc., Insurance Agency - (410) 296-4101

Hole-In-One Automobile Sponsors:
· Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P. C., CPA Firm – (800) 337-5104
· Jules Dorner & Partners, L.L.C., Investigative Consultants – (410) 977-6522

Hole Sponsors:
· Chesapeake Insurance Group, Insurance Agency – (410) 841-5320
· Ellin & Tucker, Chartered, CPA Firm & Business Consultants – (410) 727-5735
· Iliff & Meredith, P.C., Law Firm – (410) 685-1166
· Insurance Masters, Inc., Insurance Agency – (410) 653-9818
· Ofcourse Promotional Marketing, Inc., Marketing Promotions – (410) 377-4865
· Rossmann-Hurt-Hoffman, Inc., Insurance Agency – (410) 465-4300
· Trela Computer Corporation, Computer Technology Services – (410) 825-2700

Handouts & Door prizes (promised to date)
· Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P. C.
· Jules Dorner & Partners, L.L.C.
· Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland
· Legg Mason Investment Advisors
· Millennium Printing & Graphics
· Ofcourse Promotional Marketing, Inc.
· Wright, Constable & Skeen, L.L.P.

Door prizes – Handouts – 50/50 Raffle – Pro Shop Prizes
Hole-In-One opportunities to win Automobiles and $1,000,000!
Golfer’s Assistance Package available for $10.00
(Consists of 2 Mulligans and 1 Tee-Buster – Limit 1 per golfer)

The 50/50 Raffle proceeds and the Golfer’s Assistance Package sales go directly to the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland plus 100% of the tournament profit!

Final details will be announced in our Summer 2003 issue of The Solicitor. Invitations will be e-mailed to all Legal Mutual policyholders in our e-mail database. A full-page “wrap-up” will appear in The DailyRecord after the outing.

GIVE US A CALL AND GET IN ON A REALLY GREAT EVENT!

Call Walt Stewart at (410) 296-4530
to sign up, or e-mail Walt at wstewart@legalmutual.com.

WALT STEWART PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland, including its wholly owned subsidiary LMI Agency, Inc., is pleased to announce the promotion of former general manager, Walter E. Stewart, Jr., to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of both companies. Walt started with Legal Mutual on June 12, 1995. He was hired as general manager to begin self-managed operations of the Company effective October 1, 1995, when the then current management contract expired. Walt set up our offices in Burtonsville, Maryland, where the Company operated for the following six years. 2001 was a particularly hectic year for Walt when Legal Mutual hosted the annual NABRICO convention in Baltimore just one week after the horrible events of September 11th, and then relocated its offices from Burtonsville, Maryland to Towson, Maryland in October of that same year. Cleaveland Miller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Legal Mutual, stated: “I am delighted that the Board of Legal Mutual has named Walt as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. This is a highly deserved recognition of the excellent job that Walt has done on behalf of the Company and its insureds. His duties will remain essentially unchanged; however, Walt will take over more responsibility for strategic planning. Over the past several years, he has done a superior job in running the Company on a day-to-day basis, and the Board felt it was time to recognize Walt’s accomplishments.”

HIRSHMAN’S 39 TIPS FOR AVOIDING GRIEVANCES BASED ON FEES The Maryland Bar Counsel, Mel Hirshman, has given numerous seminars on how to avoid grievances based on fees. AVOIDING MALPRACTICE CLAIMS AND GRIEVANCE COMPLAINTS By Thomas D. Murphy, Esquire, Murphy & Mood, P.C. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION By Mary C. Nevius, Supervising Claims Counsel, Legal Mutual

MSBA Mid-Year Meeting 2003 Playa del Carmen, Mexico The MSBA Mid-Year Meeting in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, February 22 through March 2, 2003, was a big hit, and as you can see from the random sample pictures below, everyone had a wonderful time. The people left behind! From left to right are Walt Stewart, Dena Feeney, Cleaveland Miller, Margot Miller & Suzanne Snedegar. Sharon Stewart at base of tallest pyramid of the Yucatan peninsula, Nohoch Mul, Coba. Walt Stewart successfully climbed to the top and returned. Wanda Claiborne hard at work with the hotel staff to ensure a perfect meeting – Thanks, Wanda! I hope that’s not my lawyer! The contents of this newsletter, or special announcement, are provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as providing legal advice. To access the Legal Mutual Welcome Page, click here. To access the LMI Agency, Inc. Welcome Page, click here. To access our Privacy Policy, click here. To contact Legal Mutual, click here. Copyright © 2003 Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland. All Rights Reserved.