Divorce and My Approach to Practice

             Much like bankruptcy and probate, the attorney is dealing with fallout from unfortunate events in the client’s life. Accordingly, I try to be sensitive to the fact that the client generally doesn’t really want to be in my office spending money on something that likely stresses them out. While there are tasks that no attorney can shield a client from experiencing or suffering to some extent, my main approach is to do a great job but also to make sure I do not become part of the problems. What forms can that take?

            I personally try to be responsive and available and reasonably quick to get to tasks. Over the years, many people have complained that a professional at the medical or legal level might have done a good or even great job (less often a bad job than you might expect), but that the customer service left much to be desired or was frankly awful. Maybe they felt they had to spend time chasing the attorney down to get answers. Having been a child of divorce and having myself gone through difficult divorce and custody battles (but happily married to the love of my life since 2005), I have some perspective much like a doctor who has undergone the same procedure he practices. So, I try to not become that lawyer who sits on an email or callback for an unreasonable time and who then becomes a part of the problems. In the past, even when it wasn’t the best financial idea, I have changed an area of practice or office methods mainly so that I do not become that problem. Of course, clients are well served by having realistic expectations and it is true that even the best law office cannot operate like a hamburger drive-thru in terms of quickness. The key word is reasonable on communications, and I am privileged that many clients have felt that I met their customer service goals unusually well and it made the difficult tasks easier. 

            I also try to address the client’s concerns and needs. Often, this is about listening. While sometimes I have to redirect a client from one course of action or topic to another due to the dictates of law and circumstances, I make sure I fully explain why that is necessary rather than pooh-poohing a client’s concern in a short and dismissive way. I try never to forget that a routine matter for me is often quite a stressful event for you. The goal is for clients to feel that I respect and validate their concerns and that I am indeed listening. That being said, I have to talk a fair amount also and prefer to have given somebody too much information rather than too little. Some attorneys will say that people don’t respond well and it is information overload, but I think clients are paying me in part for information. What has impressed me over the years is not how much people forget or do not absorb, but how much they do remember and absorb from what I tell them and how much they appreciate not being left in the dark or with only part of the picture.