In the law of torts, malpractice is an "instance of negligence or incompetence on the part of a professional".Types include: medical malpractice ("A doctor's failure to exercise the degree of care and skill that a physician or surgeon of the same medical specialty would use under similar circumstances") legal malpractice ("A lawyer's failure to render professional services with the skill, prudence, and diligence that an ordinary and reasonable lawyer would use under similar circumstances.")Medical malpractice and the rise in incidences of claims against individual and institutional providers has led to the evolution of patient advocates.