Putting the Client First
If you’ve been following my blog you know that I’ve recently published a book and am actively promoting it. Yesterday, for example, I did a radio interview with a radio show host who clearly did not like lawyers.
His frustration stemmed from his own divorce proceedings several years ago. It was an ugly drawn out mess that ended with the judge telling the parties they could have saved a lot of time and money if they had told each other what they wanted earlier in the process. The host blamed his gate-keeping lawyer for the prior stalemates. His anger was still palpable years later.
It reminded me of another case involving the improper conduct of a securities broker who was ultimately barred from the securities industry. The outcome of the case was not surprising given the facts. Nonetheless, the broker’s attorney conducted a scorched earth defense. That tactic did not impress the mediator. On the contrary, he remarked off the record that defense counsel churned the meter as much as the broker had churned his clients’ accounts.
Negative public perceptions about lawyers often discourages clients from seeking legal advice early. They prefer instead to wait until the legal problem outweighs the ”lawyer problem.” Unfortunately, such short sightedness forecloses opportunities for saving time and money in the long run. Feeding such stereotypes is therefore a tremendous disservice to the profession and its clients.
Building better relationships with clients is crucial to reversing this vicious cycle.  Lawyers need to clearly understand their client’s objectives. Respecting those goals is an essential step towards putting the client first. The client, for example, may define “winning” differently than their counsel. They may prefer to salvage a business relationship and settle amicably than going to war and hearing the gavel fall.
Better communications plays a key role in this process. It helps keep expectations in check. Nobody likes surprises, especially the kinds that create delays and unnecessary expense. Clearly explaining the how’s and why’s associated with unexpected roadblocks goes a long way in building rapport. It cements the idea that we are in this together and helps avoid the attorney-client blame game that at least one radio show host is winning hands down.