NY opinion on what to do when client files are accidentally destroyed by fire or natural disaster

When a hurricane, fire, or other disaster destroys client files, attorneys face the difficult question of how to communicate the loss to clients. Until recently, most ethics guidance on this topic focused on what lawyers can do ahead of time to reduce the risk of loss. Now, a new ethics opinion by the New York City Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics offers guidance on what lawyers should do after client files are inadvertently destroyed. Here's a helpful summary.