Tip 1. Attorneys should not be reluctant to
contact other attorneys in their field for advice on a particular
matter if they are unsure of a certain procedure, court order, etc.
It is always helpful to explain a certain matter to another
attorney and obtain some advice concerning handling the matter,
next steps, procedural matters, substantive matters, etc.
Tip 2. Attorneys should not be reluctant to
refer potential clients to other counsel if they are either too
busy to take on the matter or it is a matter which is unfamiliar to
them. Many times, the client would rather have a referral to
someone who has time to handle the matter immediately. Also, many
of us are used to referring cases to attorneys who practice in
fields other than us. The return referrals more than make up for
the difficulties involved in attempting to handle a client matter
in an unfamiliar area.
Tip 3. When you may not be sure as to which attorney or
attorneys to refer a client matter in an unfamiliar area, the
Massachusetts Bar Association is a great resource. You can contact
someone from a particular section council and inquire as to
suggestions, or you can refer the client to the MBA for
referral.
Tip courtesy of Thomas J. Barbar of Deutsch, Williams,
Brooks, DeRensis & Holland PC.
Published May 29, 2014, in eJournal.