Screening Clients – Rules and Exceptions
This article, In Search of the Perfect Client, Joanne Cronrath Bamberger, Small Firm Business (3/14/05) offers up the standard, perfunctory advice on screening clients. Red flags include refusal to pay a retainer fee (a sign of future collection difficulties), number of prior attorneys and whether the client seems difficult. Not much new here.
If you follow these rules, you’ll certainly do fine as an attorney. But every once in a while (not all the time, or you might go bankrupt), you might want to consider throwing these rules aside and just going with your gut. That’s what Gerald Schwartzbach, the attorney who just won Robert Blake’s acquittal must have done. Though as described here, Schwartzbach was Blake’s fourth attorney, the two hit it off. And Schwartzbach’s risk has likely paid off because with this high profile victory, his services will be in great demand.
Lots of good advice here.
As someone who went out on his own not too long ago (4 years in May), I’ve had to learn the hard way about screening clients.
I recently attended a seminar on time mastery where the speaker made a good point about having different fees for different clients. If a client seems like trouble, give him or her a much higher fee estimate, and ask for a much larger retainer. That creates a win-win situation: you either lose a problem client, or are well-compensated for your trouble. Of course there are some clients I wouldn’t take for any fee.
As a “stressbuster,” the speaker also suggested leaving the seminar, going back to the office, reviewing your client list, and firing your #1 problem client.
Lots of good advice here.
As someone who went out on his own not too long ago (4 years in May), I’ve had to learn the hard way about screening clients.
I recently attended a seminar on time mastery where the speaker made a good point about having different fees for different clients. If a client seems like trouble, give him or her a much higher fee estimate, and ask for a much larger retainer. That creates a win-win situation: you either lose a problem client, or are well-compensated for your trouble. Of course there are some clients I wouldn’t take for any fee.
As a “stressbuster,” the speaker also suggested leaving the seminar, going back to the office, reviewing your client list, and firing your #1 problem client.
Screening Clients – Rules and Exceptions
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Screening Clients – Rules and Exceptions
More info is a click away:
Screening Clients – Rules and Exceptions
More info is a click away:
Screening Clients – Rules and Exceptions
More info is a click away: