06: Use of limited liability entities

The following provisions are established with respect to the liability of the owners of an entity with respect to damages which arise out of the performance of legal services by the entity, such provisions to be in addition to any statutory or common law rules of general application which deal with the liability of entities and their owners: (a) Each owner of the entity shall be personally liable for damages which arise out of the performance of legal services on behalf of the entity and which are caused by his or her own negligent or wrongful act, error, or omission. Owners of the entity whose acts, errors, or omissions did not cause the damages shall not be personally liable therefor, whether or not they have agreed with any owners or employees or other persons to contribute to the payment of the liability, except to the extent provided in subparagraphs (b), (c), and (d). (b) All the owners of an entity which is a professional corporation at the time of any negligent or wrongful act, error, or omission of any owner or employee of said entity which occurs in the performance of legal services by said entity and which results in damages to the person or persons for whom the services were being performed shall be jointly and severally liable for such damages, but only to the extent of the excess, if any, of (1) the sum of $50,000 plus the product of $15,000 multiplied by the number of owners and employees of said entity at the time of such act, error, or omission who are duly licensed by this court to practice law in the Commonwealth, or duly licensed to practice law by the licensing authority in the jurisdiction in which they practice, and who are owners of or employed by said entity as lawyers, but not in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate, over (2) the sum of the assets of said entity and the proceeds of any insurance policy issued to it which are applied to the payment of such damages. (c) Each entity which is not a professional corporation shall maintain at all times either (a) professional liability insurance covering negligence, wrongful acts, errors, and omissions of said entity and its owners and employees in connection with their performance of legal services in an amount per claim and in an annual aggregate limit, exclusive of any deductible or retention, not less than the Designated Amount, or (b) a specifically designated and segregated fund for the satisfaction of judgments against said entity or its owners or employees based on their professional negligence, wrongful acts, errors, or omissions in connection with their performance of legal services in not less than the Designated Amount, maintained as (i) a deposit in trust or a bank escrow of cash, bank certificates of deposit, or United States Treasury obligations, or (ii) a bank letter of credit or an insurance company bond. As used herein the term "Designated Amount" shall mean $50,000 plus the product of $15,000 multiplied by the number of owners and employees of said entity who are licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth or another jurisdiction, but not in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate. If such an entity fails to maintain insurance or a fund in the Designated Amount in compliance with this rule, its owners at the time when a professional liability claim is asserted shall be jointly and severally liable to the claimant for an amount not to exceed the Designated Amount applicable at that time, less the sum of the assets of said entity and the proceeds of any professional liability insurance policy issued to it which are applied to the payment of said liability. (d) If an entity is an owner (an "ownership entity") or a partner in a general partnership, the provisions of subparagraphs (a), (b), and (c) shall apply to each of the individual owners of such ownership entity or such partners, and the formulas in subparagraphs (b) and (c) shall be based on all of the individual owners, partners, and employees of the entity or general partnership and of each ownership entity and partner thereof who is licensed to practice law.