Becoming A Lawyer

TIP 18 Get it Off Your Chest

Clients, notably matrimonial customers, often need a way to tell their story to other people. Think about different forums in which a customer can get it off his chest. Consider using psychologists, social workers, mediation, Dispute Resolution Officer hearings, Judicial Dispute Resolution conferences and arbitration as ways to permit a customer to unload.

TIP 6 Mutual Consultation

Similar to the tip above on being exclusive, another strategy to exclusivity is to make it clear in the very first interview with a potential family law client that it is a mutual consultation. In other words, the client is consulting you and you are consulting with with the client to be able to find out whether the two of you're a fit. This makes it much simpler to say no if, at the close of the interview, any of those hairs on the back of the neck have gone upward. Among the great frustrations in household law is behaving for clients. Most high conflict cases involve individuals. They can be the ruin of your life and make practicing more difficult than it must be. You need to make it apparent on a first consultation that the purpose of the interview is to determine whether there is a match between the attorney and the client and that there's to be no duty on either side to either retain the lawyer or take a retainer. Accordingly, it follows that when it becomes apparent in the very first interview that there are a number of reasons why you shouldn't take the case, you have to learn how to say "no" at the very earliest possible phase.

TIP 17 Soothing Your Clientele

When your customer has quite a difficult problem which is more emotional than legal, consider using the phrase "That's a really difficult problem to resolve". For instance, where your customer is complaining or the other side is saying things about your client, employing this phrase helps clients to proceed with the difficulties at hand. Lawyers have reported that the phrase that was simple really works.

TIP 20 Be Genuine

The most important component of lawyering is your capability to connect with your clientele. Treat them just like friends and show your interest. Be real. Lawyers that do this are much more happy, as are their clients.

TIP 4 "Getting Directions"

Inexperienced counsel often use the excuse that they cannot make a determination on a matter until they "get directions" in their customer. This is a cop-out. Not the client, the lawyer, has the sole discretion with regard to granting accommodations which do not influence the merits of this case or prejudice the client's rights to another side. This would consist of requests for time expansion, provision for disclosure, adjournments in a different form than requested or procedural issues.