FL Bar Fights Defense Control
Wednesday, August 29th, 2001 Liability Litigation Risk ManagementThe Florida Bar is considering whether control by insurance companies over the defense of lawsuits against insureds constitutes the unlicensed practice of law. The bar association's Standing Committee on the Unlicensed Practice of Law (UPL) held a public hearing on the issue in Orlando on June 22, 2001. The hearing stems from complaints from defense attorneys about non-lawyer insurance adjusters who direct defense strategy much in the way that non-physician clerical workers try to control how HMO physicians can treat patients. The adjusters decide when defense attorneys can hire expert witnesses, take depositions and engage in court hearings, say the attorneys, who also object to insurer demands that legal bills be sent to outside fee auditors.
