When a plaintiff sues a defendant these two parties engage in a liability dispute, which is usually governed by tort law and may occupy as many as five years to resolve. When the defendant has liability insurance, two additional tussles may develop: 1) a coverage contest between the policyholder/defendant and the liability insurer, which is governed by contract law and may occupy as many as a second five year to resolve; and 2) an ethical imbroglio between the policyholder/client and the insurer’s chosen dependent counsel, which is governed primarily by the Rules of Professional Conduct, and may occupy as little as 30 days to resolve.