Midyear Changes
Excess coverage is written from January 1 (or the date of application) until December 31 of a given year. Changes that occur after January 1, or the firm's application date, are considered midyear changes. Firms are required to notify the PLF of some midyear changes (discussed below); however, firms are welcome to email us at excess@osbplf.org regarding any midyear changes (even when no action is required) and we will file a copy of that communication in the firm's record.
Firms are only required to notify the PLF midyear if:
- The number of firm attorneys more than doubles or decreases by more than 50 percent,
- The firm merges or splits,
- There is a change in any out-of-state branch office,
- A non-Oregon attorney joins the firm, or
- The firm or a firm attorney enters into an of counsel relationship with any other firm or attorney.
When Is Notice Required?
If the firm or a firm attorney enters into an "of counsel" relationship with any other firm or attorney midyear, the PLF must be notified and a charge will be assessed or a refund due. "Of counsel" relationships require notification due to the unique role these attorneys often have in law firms. For example, many attorneys who join a firm as "of counsel" may have an active, separate law practice. The PLF requires notification so that the attorney and any separate practice can be underwritten.
If a non-Oregon attorney joins or leaves the firm midyear, notification is required and a charge will be assessed or a refund due.
Notification is required if any current out-of-state branch office of the firm has any midyear attorney hires or departures.
Notification is required if the firm adds an out-of-state branch office midyear. This may result in an additional premium charge. Changes in a current out-of-state branch office also require notification.
Notification to the PLF is required when the number of firm attorneys more than doubles or decreases by more than 50 percent. For example, if a solo practitioner hired two associates midyear, then the PLF would need to be notified and additional charges would be assessed to add the two attorneys to the firm's coverage. (The cost would be prorated from the date the associates joined until the end of the year.) Alternatively, if a solo practitioner hired one associate midyear, notification would not be required because the firm would not have "more than doubled" in size.
Firm are required to notify the PLF if there is a firm merger or split midyear. In some cases, an adjustment to the premium will be necessary, resulting in a refund or a charge. The particularities of how each merger or split will be handled depend entirely on each unique situation. Please contact Emilee Preble at emileep@osbplf.org or 503.639.7285 to discuss your firm's circumstance in detail.
There is no requirement to notify the PLF of a firm name change midyear, unless that name change corresponds to a firm merger or split.