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During our more than five-year relationship with Ames & Gough, we have grown to depend heavily on their experience in the A/E industry. Their skill at identifying risk exposures, skill in reviewing our contracts, and personal approach to insurance brokerage have made Ames & Gough indispensable to our firm. As contract negotiations become more complicated and the risk of litigation greater, there is no price our firm can put on having Ames & Gough and a good lawyer on our team.
- Ms. Polly Brazelton, Senior Associate, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates -
I've worked with Ames & Gough for years regarding our firm's professional liability insurance. Ames & Gough has some of the most knowledgeable insurance professionals that I have met. They understand our business and apply their very deep insurance knowledge to help us. They are customer-focused and always put our firm's needs ahead of their own. Ames & Gough is out to save us money while also looking out for our best interests.
- Donald P. Nims, Jr., PE, Quality Assurance & Risk Manager, Bergmann Associates, Inc. -
I believe we were Ames & Gough's first client. In those 19 years, they have never failed to provide us with exceptional service, well beyond being only our A/E broker. Their depth of service, their technical expertise, and their responsiveness to our requests set them apart and account for our long-term relationship.
- Jim Fagan, President, Hazen and Sawyer -
Everyone at Ames & Gough has tremendous depths of knowledge about both design professionals and managing risk in the construction process. We refer firms to Ames & Gough because their professionalism is obvious from the first conversation. Their client focus, nationwide reach, and high level of services makes Ames & Gough an outstanding broker for any design professional. We've given Ames & Gough our 'A/E Choice' designation signifying that they are truly dedicated experts.
- Kate E. Frownfelter, Senior Vice President and Construction Industry Group Manager, Victor O. Schinnerer & Company -
We rely on Ames & Gough as our portal to the commercial insurance market for law firms. Their knowledge and service are exemplary, and we thank them for their contributions to our success.
- Phil Sunshine, General Counsel, Finnegan -
Effective risk management is an integral part of our company's productivity goals. Ames & Gough provides the support we need to help us understand and implement good risk management practices. Their professional seminars and outstanding support have helped us to keep our insurance costs down as well as to maintain high standards. We value our relationship with them, are happy that they are part of our team, and thank them for their contributions to our success.
- Mark Teden, Executive Vice President/Treasurer, Bruner/Cott & Associates, Inc. -
For years, Hogan Lovells has relied upon Ames & Gough’s deep understanding of the professional liability issues faced by law firms. Our firm’s needs are consistently met by responsive, friendly senior-level professionals with an unyielding focus on client service and putting our needs at the fore.
- Warren Gorrell, Co-Chair, Hogan Lovells -
Weston & Sampson has been working with Ames & Gough for approximately 12 years now. Ames & Gough has been extremely helpful in obtaining the best insurance coverage for the best price. Additionally, the personnel have been extremely responsive on issues, questions, client contract reviews, etc. They are very knowledgeable about our industry and the variety of risk management-related issues that come up from time to time. It has been a real pleasure to work with the A&G folks over the years!
- Deirdra A. Taylor, CPA, Director & CFO, Weston & Sampson -
The expertise of the individuals at Ames & Gough has been invaluable to Hoyle Tanner. Over the course of many years, they have consistently provided Hoyle Tanner with knowledgeable advice and excellent service.
- James D. Boothroyd, P.E., President, Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc. -
Ames & Gough has worked closely, proactively, and successfully with our law firm. They have been very effective at obtaining the best insurance coverage for the best price. Additionally, the personnel have been extremely responsive on all our risk management issues. They are very knowledgeable and we are glad they are an integral part of our team.
- Steve Leonard, Chief Operating Officer, Zuckerman Spaeder, LLP
Management Liability
Times are changing, and so are the ways in which law firms manage their businesses. Geographic expansion, mergers and acquisitions, new practice areas, and organic growth, as well as the need to be both proactive and reactive to competitive pressures within the legal industry, have led many law firms to become more mobile and emulate a more corporate-like governance. One of the consequences has been an upswing in the number of management liability claims.
In response to these emerging exposures, the insurance market has developed management liability insurance coverage to protect professional firms and their managers. This coverage is a variation of the more widely known directors and officers liability insurance, modified and tailored to provide specialized coverage for the day-to-day management decisions that expose law firm partners and shareholders to many of the same liability risks faced by the directors and officers in corporate settings.
Management liability insurance is designed to cover such claims as:
- mismanagement or negligence in the day-to-day business decisions made by the firm’s management committee or executive officers (for example, excessive borrowings/expenditures, unreasonable lease terms, questionable lateral hiring, and closure of unsuccessful branch offices);
- partnership agreements or compensation disputes;
- interference with contractual relations;
- allegations by partners not involved in the firm’s management (for example, partner-versus-partner claims);
- charges of predatory hiring and similar issues; and
- merger and acquisition disputes (for example, increased capital expenditures, poor results, increased conflicts, and claims of misuse of confidential information received during the discussions).