The happiest lawyers I know have on thing in common: They have great relationships with their clients. In an industry known for burnout and mental health struggles, there are many lawyers thriving and enjoying life. I am one of them. A big part of the reason I consider myself happy in a legal career is because of the clients I am surrounded with on a daily basis. The vast majority of them are kind, appreciative of our service and find great value in the work we do. This is by design. Here are my top 3 tips to developing a client base that will make your legal career a joy: 1. Ensure your firm focuses on producing high quality work. This seems obvious... but many law firms corners on legal work. This can lead to less-than-stellar outcomes for clients. I will not let work out the door unless it meets certain standards (just ask anyone that works at Gerben IP :)). We have to deliver good results to keep our clients happy. And we do. 2. Create (and stick to) budgets with your clients. We rarely receive a question on a bill. Our fees are discussed in advance and we have monthly conversations with clients about the budget needed for a matter. The goal is for a client to receive our bill and for it to be for an amount they expected. If a client receives a bill they expect you will avoid uncomfortable and stressful conversations about money. 3. Decline new clients that are not a good fit. We will only accept a new client if we believe they will find value and appreciate the work we are going to do for them. As a grizzly veteran, I can spot a potential client that is only looking to hire a lawyer as a last resort and/or looking for the "least expensive option." Taking on these clients (even if you are slow) is always a mistake and should not be done. ### By consistently doing these 3 things every day, our firm has developed a client base that makes work fun and exciting. My conversations with clients are always positive. I look forward to the calls because I know we will be having a good discussion about protecting their trademarks (as opposed to a stressful one). Are there any tips you would add to my list for creating an enjoyable law practice? #lawfirms #attorneys #lawyers #businessoflaw
All of these are important, and especially #3—the potential hassle (and liability) of a client who is a poor fit is not worth any amount of money.
Quality always gets valued. It’s so basic as part of a service yet so many take it for granted and neglect it as they scale 🤦🏼♂️
Megan Senese
6d
And when you are happier, you produce better work and round and round!
I work in a similar manner as well, Josh and I am quite happy to be in the legal profession as well. It just is so much more engaging that various other professions/vocations that I have been engaged in since 2007.
Exactly!
Director | Startup, Creatives & FMCG Lawyer at Lazarus Legal | CLO at Superdrop | External Legal Counsel at Flagship | Founder at Immerse
2wGreat tips, Josh. I think transparency is key, and I am constantly learning and improving day by day when it comes to building relationships with clients. As I work mainly on fixed fees or flexible monthly retainers, it is very important to clearly define the scope so that clients are aware of what you will be charging. I like to include a buffer in my fixed fee estimate to take into consideration nuances or protracted negotiations etc. I also like to have a best and worst case in terms of deadlines. For example, a best case is I get instructed on Monday and they want the work by that Friday. A worst case, is that they require it the following Wednesday. This way, I always meet deadlines, and often exceed them. In an industry where competition is so high and there are always lawyers or online providers cutting fees to get the work, it’s the customer service, transparency, likability, turnaround times and of course providing an exceptional service that makes one stand out from the crowd! And no matter how much we use social media and other forms of marketing to attract new clients, often the best clients are the existing clients with repeat business or those they refer to us.