Topic: Firm management

Insurance Checklist: Starting a firm

Use this insurance checklist to be sure you have the coverage you need when starting a firm.

Cyber Risk Assessment

Answer ten important questions to find out whether your firm is at risk.

Claims Defense from the Attorney’s Perspective

By Gregory N. Ziegler, Esq. When a claim is made, counsel is retained by the professional liability insurance carrier to defend the claim. Defense counsel is experienced in defending design professionals and will work on behalf of the architect. Resolving a complaint requires a collaborative effort between the architect and attorney. The attorney’s role is…

National Healthcare Reform Resources

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (or ACA) continues to raise numerous questions for firm owners and employees alike. The AIA Trust has assembled numerous resources to help answer your questions, including information about grandfathered plans, Health Savings Accounts, and employee architect options. The AIA Trust will continue to update and add resources as…

What to Do About Employee Benefits

Employee benefits are often defined as compensation paid by an employer to an employee over and above regular salary and wages. Employee benefits come in many shapes and sizes and are an integral part of an overall compensation package offered to employees. Employee benefits are essential in keeping current employees happy, and have become an…

Preventing Employee Lawsuits

Small firms are the most vulnerable to crises, disasters, and lawsuits. In fact, according to the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, more than 40 percent of small businesses were either involved in or threatened with a lawsuit due to A) administrative oversights or errors, B) undelivered services or C) poor quality of service, much lower…

Employee Onboarding Best Practices

Leadership can be defined as the ability to influence, empower, and inspire others so that they in turn maximize their efforts. The process of onboarding employees, from their recruitment and orientation through to their achieving peak performance is ultimately the result of leadership. Are you that leader? Employee onboarding is the process of acclimating new…

Firm Valuation Service Providers

When considering firm ownership transition–whether internal or external acquisition or a merger, employee stock ownership plans, equity-based incentive plans, shareholder dispute, tax issues, litigation support, or other corporate planning–you need to determine firm value. When seeking a firm valuation, it’s important to consider companies that can offer you A/E industry experience, as well as professional…

Making the Transition to Running Your Own Firm

In operating a professional practice as a private business, a licensed design professional faces many risks. A prudent design professional entering private practice should consider insurance to cover certain exposures, including professional liability, cyber liability, commercial general liability, commercial auto coverage, and the risk of property loss. In addition, practitioners should be sure they have…