Lawyers e-Journal
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009
Law Practice Management Tip
A little bit of southern hospitality
I recently met with an opposing party for a divorce case who was
raised in Texas, and what surprised me was that he was extremely
polite. After giving the client bad news, he says to me, "Yes sir,
I understand. Thank you for telling me." I was floored.
After the meeting, I was reminded of one of my law school
internships. The owner would say, "Good night" and "Thank you" to
every employee, whether it was the secretary or an associate, when
they left for the day. It was just two simple words―thank you―and
it made all the difference. I still remember it because it made me
feel good. It made me feel as if my day and my efforts were
appreciated and it contributed to making the boss's day
better.
This also translates to better client relations as well. Treating
your clients with respect and understanding them, even when what
they're saying doesn't make sense or you don't agree with them,
will foster a better and more respectful relationship between you
and your clients. And when your representation is over, why not
give them a call (in addition to the closing letter) to tell them
you appreciate their business and to thank them. It'll make them
feel good and it'll also make you feel good.
Thank you for reading.
This tip is courtesy of Gabriel Cheong,
attorney at law, owner of Infinity Law Group.
Published October 22, 2009
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For more helpful tips, join the MBA's Law Practice Management
Section. Call MBA Member Services at (617) 338-0530 to join.
To learn more about the Law Practice Management Section,
contact Co-Chairs Andrea
Goldman or
Rodney Dowell.