Client Relations

I want to wholeheartedly embrace the concept of unbundled legal services, I really do.  After all, what’s not to like?  The demand for affordable legal services is greater than ever.  With courthouses overrun by pro se litigants, even judges are pressing for unbundled legal services.  Technology is empowering a generation of educated, sophisticated consumers who…

I’m experimenting with a question of the week here at MyShingle – just a short question related to anything of interest to lawyers running a practice or thinking about it from law practice management or tech, recommendations on how to guides or CLE providers to thoughts on why you started a firm or who your…

Updated September 20, 2022 Update – Back in 2010, I posted about law firm clients’ growing demand for self-service.  Although the will was there, the technology still wasn’t quite ready for prime time.  That’s changed, but client demand for self-service hasn’t.  And TLDR, it’s not an economic thing, but a sea change in attitude.  Starting…

Client surveys and customer feedback are all the rage these days and law firms are jumping on board. In fact, Matt Homann of LexThink released a great client survey template that’s available at Lawyerist. Like the experts, I’ve always believed, albeit somewhat reflexively, that client surveys improve the client experience.  And I still do.  But…

Whenever I get a call from a client who has a matter too small to justify my rates or referral to another attorney service, I’ll try to suggest alternatives.  In fact, like many lawyers, I keep a list of contact information and websites for legal aid and pro bono groups, law school clinics, small claims…

In the past, I’ve recommended  Meetup.com as a resource for solo and small firm lawyers seeking speaking engagements.  Meetup.com makes it easy to find one of thousands of groups that meet locally and which might have an interest in hosting a legal speaker on a relevant topic. Though I know of many solo and small…

Back in the day when I started my law firm and handled court appointed criminal cases, my first meeting with my clients usually took place in the noisy, cramped holding cell behind the courtrooms.  On warm days especially, the cells teemed with waiting defendants and I’d have to yell my client’s name loudly so they’d…