Create stronger relationships with your clients by implementing these tips into the daily operations of your legal practice:
1) Humanize Yourself
Clients and lawyers tend to see each other as being on separate social, economic, political, and intellectual levels. Often, clients are intimidated by their lawyer’s professional status and will in turn treat them differently. The distance this imagined hierarchy creates can hinder clients from hiring lawyers or creating an honest relationship with them.
Try your best to make a genuine effort and level yourself with your client. Interact with them as if they are a colleague, and they are less likely to feel intimidated by you. You may find that communication becomes easier and more natural for both of you by taking this approach.
2) Only Be a Lawyer
People seeking attorneys sometimes expect more than just legal services. They can turn you into their psychiatrist, their priest, and even their doctor without you realizing it. You will end up exhausted trying to juggle all the roles they expect you to fill.
To ensure clients stick to only their legal problems, it’s important for you to make your role perfectly clear—right from the beginning.
It is acceptable to let needy clients know that you have other cases to work on. Don’t let one emotional client take up all your time. Be honest with your clients and create boundaries as soon as possible. If they disrespect the boundaries, let them know right away.
3) Be Wary of Everlastingly Unhappy Clients
Sometimes, no matter the outcome of the case, you’ll run into clients who will never be content. No matter what you do or how hard you work, this type of client will blame your services, blame the courts, and complain about their situation, refusing any and all solutions you propose. Unfortunately, the only resolution to this problem, is to not take on these clients in the first place. Learn to spot problem clients right away and learn to say no; your stress level will decrease dramatically.
Keep an eye out for these warning signs:
- A client who is demanding.
- A client who believes they know more about the law than you.
- A client who has very high and/or unrealistic expectations.
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