What if? It’s something most of us don’t ask ourselves. It’s not easy to consider circumstances that might interrupt one’s ability to continue a law career. The reality is that accidents, illness, disability, and sudden death do occur.

The Erie County Bar Foundation assists attorneys and their families during times of crisis and coordinates an effort to resolve these recurring emergencies by creating a Confidential Lawyer Succession Registry.

A brief registry card is filled out by each attorney naming a “designee attorney.” These cards are returned to the Bar Association and the information is entered into a data base. The originating attorney is given a four-page document on which to record confidential office information, which will then be shared with the designee. The form is meant to be kept on file and includes information such as where active files are located, who has access to those files, the name of the person who has passwords for the computer, combinations, keys, where outstanding billing for client matters can be found. IOLA, escrow and operating account information and the like. That document is held in safekeeping by the “designee attorney.”

To be added to the registry, download and fill out the information below. Please feel free to contact Anne Noble for more information at 852-8687.