Find Success by Looking in the Mirror

Published December 22, 2009

The line between success and failure at “The Business of Law®” can be a thin one. Often the considerations that make the biggest difference are nothing more or less than two sides of the same coin. Consider these examples in which the “dos and don’ts” for businesslike law firm interaction with clients are mirror images of each other.

  1. Don’t put the firm first. Do put the client first.
    Law firms today are so preoccupied with their own survival that not enough of them are asking their clients, “How am I doing?” As a result many lawyers, unfortunately, never figure out that their client is unhappy. If they don’t hear from a client after completing a matter, they just think that the client has no additional legal work. They don’t realize that the client was so unhappy that, though they didn’t complain, they just didn’t return. Admittedly this may open a dialogue that is hard, but it should be part of any lawyer’s skill set. Lawyers are skilled at persuasion with judges, juries, partners and peers. Try consciously persuading your clients and you’ll have a better chance of retaining them.
  2. Don’t just take whatever clients are available. Do target your clients.
    For too many lawyers the idea of marketing is daunting because there are so many potential clients, so little time to reach them and so many options for pursuing them. Marketing can only be approached practically with a narrow focus that creates a profile of your ideal client and develops a strategy for communicating your services and capabilities to this target, not everyone. It requires defining the location, demographics, occupation, financials and other characteristics of clients who will give you the work you want. A business that tries to grow without a clear idea of where it wants to grow will soon find itself floundering.
  3. Don’t be a bank for your clients. Do emphasize collections.
    In today’s economy, more than ever, law firms should not be banks that carry their client’s expenses. Stipulating payment rates and terms in the engagement agreement and then enforcing them is the best way to get paid. If the client hasn’t paid the fee while your firm continues to work on and bill for their matter, you are extending a no-cost loan to the client. Do not do this with a vague hope of being paid as expenses pile up. The engagement letter should clearly state the consequences to the client for failure to honor the agreed-upon payment terms. Keep track of when clients are behind on their payments, and be firm in requesting payment.

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Audience type: Administrators, Associates, Large Law Firms, Small Law Firms, Sole Practitioners