Law.Com reports  on events in the California Bar discussion on requiring disclosure of legal malpractice insurance coverage.   "Attempting to mollify critics, a California Bar committee on Thursday recommended a significant change to a proposal that would require attorneys to tell clients if they don’t carry malpractice insurance.

But one member opposed to disclosure insisted that the whole idea should be canned before the State Bar rouses the anger of California’s considerable ranks of solo practitioners and small-firm lawyers.

"They know this is going to do very little but adversely affect them," State Bar Governor John Dutton said.

Meeting in Los Angeles, the Committee on Regulation, Admissions and Discipline voted 4-3 to require disclosure in writing only when it’s "reasonably foreseeable" that a lawyer will represent a client for more than four hours.

The amendment was an attempt to pacify several State Bar governors who expressed concerns in November that the original proposal could force attorneys to disclose a lack of insurance during casual talks at parties or friendly phone calls for advice.

State Bar President Jeffrey Bleich, who attended Thursday’s meeting by telephone, liked the amendment and said he hopes it appeases the critics.

"This has just been a politically thorny issue," he said, "and this compromise will hopefully satisfy everyone enough so we can move forward."