Malpractice insurance tip-off

The State Bar is debating whether attorneys should be compelled to divulge whether they carry malpractice insurance (“Lawyers split on insurance proposal,” July 2).

I am one of the 20% of California lawyers without malpractice insurance. I used to carry it, but dropped the policy when it got up to $9,000 a year. I always disclose this information to new clients in their retainer agreements. As far as I’m concerned, a client whose primary concern from the get-go is whether he can sue me if things don’t work out as well as he hopes is a client I don’t want!

Paige Gold

Los Angeles