Insights for Modern Law

Growing a successful law firm requires more than just the legal expertise you and your team bring with you from law school. In fact, soft skills in the workplace are just as valuable to the well-being of your practice.

The following four skills are especially significant as you grow and maintain your firm.‍

Passion‍

No matter how long you have been practicing law, you are well aware of the time and energy that working in this field demands.

Long hours in the office, focused critical thinking, and copious amounts of stress are not for everyone. Maybe you have even questioned what led you to this line of work.

And that’s where passion comes in.

For some, that passion lies in the unique opportunity to serve others and further public good in their communities. For others, it may be the intellectual challenge that each day presents.

Wherever you find yourself, work will always be crummy if you don’t have a clear purpose in mind for why you do what you do. Frequently revisiting your “why” for practicing law can be energizing and inspiring to not only you, but your entire legal staff.‍

Adaptability‍

One of the inevitable truths of working in the legal atmosphere is that things are ever-changing. From the laws themselves to best practices and technology, what was true yesterday might not be true today. Clients want to work with law firms that stay up-to-date. One way attorneys can do this is by attending legal conferences.

Adaptability and resilience go hand in hand. Challenges are sure to present themselves in the everyday pace of practicing law. However, the way you react to these changes will determine how successful your firm is amongst competitors.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic is a timely example. Along with many other types of businesses, law firms saw the opportunity to go digital and continue to provide their services amidst the uncertainty of the spreading virus.

Firms who made the most of these unforeseen circumstances found similar, if not more, success across various facets of their firm. Areas such as client in-take, case management and client updates and communication continue to see increased efficiency and greater long-term sustainability with the aid of technology brought about by the pandemic.‍

Focus‍

While it is not unique to law firms only, being able to concentrate on the task at hand is absolutely vital as an attorney or member of a legal staff.

I get it, a typical day in the office is chock full of less than exciting tasks. It might seem monotonous to read through loads of paperwork and email after email, but attention to detail could be the difference between winning your client’s case and them walking away with nothing.

Each case deserves your undivided attention when you sit down to work on it. After all, these people have entrusted an extremely vulnerable portion of their life to your care.‍

Work Ethic‍

You are well aware of the importance of this skill because, well, you didn’t just become a lawyer overnight.

Fighting legal battles takes time and persistence, and is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Having an intrinsic desire to put forth your best effort every time you enter the office is the first step to a productive day. The lawyers who prosper in their career have surely mastered this principle.

Something to consider: Productivity does not mean burn-out.

It is so easy for lawyers to become overwhelmed, yet disguise it as “hard work.” The truth is you can run a successful firm while still maintaining a balance in your work life.

Plan out your day and devote appropriate time to each task that needs to be done. Factor in time for a few breaks, and delegate tasks as needed. ‍

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Combining your legal expertise with these four invaluable skills will prepare you for any challenge that awaits you. Bolster your business by sharpening these abilities at every opportunity you get.

“You never get a second chance to make a good impression.” This age-old axiom rings true for every law firm trying to acquire new clients. You truly have one shot to try and capture the attention of your prospective clients.

Unlike other businesses, you are delivering an experience, not a product. Because you aren’t selling something tangible, your firm needs the tools to speak for itself. One of those tools is your set of communication skills.

In a survey of the online reviews from 12 firms across the Western United States, 44% of the reviews directly highlighted communication as one of the most meaningful skills a firm could have in creating a positive experience for clients.

Next to the obvious desire for a fair settlement, clients want to feel a part of the process. This primarily comes through clear, consistent and proactive communication.

Let’s take a closer look.‍

Clear Communication‍

Seems simple enough, right? Turns out, impressing your clients isn’t so hard after all.

Reviews across all firms highlighted the importance of clear communication.

There is a reason your client hired you to take their case: you have legal expertise that they don’t! That means they won’t understand half of the words that get thrown around in your office.

When communicating with clients, park your legal jargon at the door, and give them the comfort that comes with simplified understanding.

Meeting clients on their level will build trust and foster an environment where they feel that they are secure and in good hands.

In the eyes of your clients, clear communication also involves the expectations you set up front regarding the behind-the-scenes of their case. A heaping 80% of consumers reported clear communication of next steps as an essential factor when evaluating a firm’s trustworthiness.

Striving for clarity in all forms of communication will ultimately boost the reliability of your firm and generate more positive experiences for your clientele. ‍

Consistency‍

You may have been able to wow clients with your investment in their case upon the first consultation, but do your actions reflect that same investment as the case progresses?

A closer look at reviews shows that consistency is almost as important as the communication itself.

Nearly half of the reviews commented on communication skills from the 12 firms surveyed. Each of these reviews mentioned how they were kept in the loop throughout the duration of their case instead of only receiving an update here and there.

It is no secret that legal work takes time. Lucky for you, time is your friend when it comes to proving your dependability.

Each time there is an update in the case, you have the opportunity to showcase consistent care and concern for the well being of your client’s legal predicament.

‍Proactive Communication‍

Who says you have to wait for clients to contact you first? No one.

Think of the last time someone did something for you without asking. Maybe it was a household chore, or a coworker who bought you lunch. It doesn’t matter the scenario-we all know how good it feels for someone to take initiative to lessen our load.

Your clients are the same way. They likely are busy people (just like you) with schedules that are not conducive to calling your office every week looking for a case update.

So, beat your clients to the punch with proactive communication.

Notify clients when there will be longer stretches of time in a particular phase. Teach them what is happening and how long certain tasks might take. Provide answers to frequently asked questions on your website or on automated update software like Milestones.

Whatever you do, reminding clients of your presence and the investment you have in their case is sure to be an unforgettable experience that they will talk about for years to come.

‍Conclusion

‍Across the same survey of reviews between the 12 firms, each firm averaged 4.88 stars on their Google reviews. It’s no surprise that almost half of the clients leaving these reviews raved about communication skills.

Additionally, every business has KPI's (key performance indicators). A huge indicator of communication performance is how many of your reviews tout your clarity, consistency and proactivity of communication.

It is evident that we are discussing more than just updating our customers. Rather, communication is ensuring clients that they can trust you in both word and deed. Confidence between firm and client is fostered as you follow these simple suggestions to fine tune communication skills within your firm.
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Survey Results:

• 12 randomly selected Personal Injury law firms across the Western United States were surveyed. The Google reviews were examined and searched for the impacts of communication on client relations with each firm.
• To keep their confidentiality, the names of the firms are not disclosed.
• 18/30 reviews (60%) about responsiveness and communication. Overall rating of 5 stars.
• 23/64 reviews (35.9%) about responsiveness and communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 18/29 reviews (62%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.6 stars.
• 25/77 reviews (32.46%) about communication. Overall rating of 5 stars.
• 10/26 reviews (38.46%) about communication. Overall rating of 5 stars.
• 17/43 reviews (39.53%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 129/339 reviews (38%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 8/30 reviews (26.67%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.8 stars.
• 11/16 reviews (68.75%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 14/38 reviews (36.8%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 10/24 reviews (41.67%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 12/26 reviews (46.15%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.8 stars.

Maybe you’re a new firm just getting started, or you’ve been in this business for a long time and are looking for ways to improve. Either way, you recognize that there is always potential to grow and improve your firm in the increasingly competitive legal landscape.

With technological advances and new marketing strategies constantly being adopted by competitors, it is not enough to just be good in a courtroom or knowledgeable about the law.

So what can you do to make your firm stand out?

Here are three things YOU need to put into practice to help your firm stand out amongst competitors.

1. Increase Transparency
2. Improve Google reviews
3. Go the Extra Mile

1. Increase Transparency

Do you remember the old elementary saying “secrets don’t make friends?” Well, it still holds true today as adults.

Despite not knowing the intricacies of the law that they hired you to handle, your clients want to be a part of the journey. After all, it is their personal life that they invited you to be a part of.

Engaging with clients can look different from firm to firm, and that’s okay. You may choose to spend hours each day responding to client emails begging for updates, or you might automate case updates with modern computer software like Hona.

In any case, consistent communication from firm to clients is not only a practice of good legal ethics, but a necessity. If it’s important enough for customers to be able to track a package or the status on their recent pizza delivery order, there is no doubt that quality communication with your law firm’s clients is paramount.

Whether the client updates show advancements in their case, or simply serve as a reminder that you are still working, regular efforts to engage with your clients can set you apart from other firms and boost the number of positive experiences that are tied to your business.

2. Positive Reviews

Living in a world where information is just a few clicks away, firms need to be sure that current and potential clients are seeing the business with its best foot forward.

For many people seeking legal assistance, the search for a good attorney begins with trusted sources. Between word of mouth and simple internet research, potential clients can sort through information relatively quickly.

A few moments is all you have to show others just how competitive your firm is. Online reviews can be a quick and easy way to market your firm and secure new customers.

Now, think about your firm.

When clients search your business on the web, what reviews are they reading?

What might they notice about the way you respond to both good and bad reviews?

After assessing where your firm lands with such reviews, it might be a good time to adopt innovative practices to collect more positive client feedback. Check out how Hona's product features help firms accomplish that goal.

3. Go the Extra Mile

At the end of the day, clients are looking for more than just a firm that can address their legal needs. They are looking for a firm that can go above and beyond and deliver a great customer experience.

But how do you do it?

It’s simple. Give your clients less things to complain about and more things to celebrate. When you do more than the bare minimum that is expected of you as a law firm, clients will take notice.

Beat them to the punch when communicating case updates. Engage with them in a professional, direct and timely manner. Utilize technology to simplify work balance while still satisfying client demands.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to have a successful law firm. Rather, find unique ways to give your clients what they want.

Conclusion

Investing time into the details of your clients’ experience can make all the difference as you work to be a competitive firm in today’s legal landscape.

If you’re really looking to stand out, you will find ways to improve the negative experiences clients have, and capitalize on the good ones. Focus your attention on enhancing client communication and building a stockpile of positive reviews.

And don’t stop there! Find what other ways your firm is lacking, and fill those gaps with unique ideas that differentiate you from the competition.

The market is continuing to be filled with original ideas, will you fall behind or stay ahead of the curve as you build your firm?

I get it, thousands of dollars, time away from home, endless events… They can be a lot, but these things can be super valuable. Here are a few reasons why:

Learn Best Practices - Not only do you get this from CLE’s, but from conversations with your peers. For better or for worse, most conversations end up being about your practice and how to run it. There is a lot of wisdom to be shared about intake, hiring, finances, marketing, technology, and so forth. A great thing about modern conferences is that they have more unique themes than in times past. It used to be that all CLE’s were on how to create better arguments or present to a jury. Now you can find conferences where the entire theme is technology, social media, or marketing. There are a lot of great ways to expand your horizons and learn new things.

Networking - One time I was at a conference and said “Hi” to a stranger that was passing by. There weren't many people around so he stopped and entertained a short conversation. Turned out he was the former CEO of LexisNexis and several other huge legal companies. He was super friendly and offered his support and guidance if I ever needed it. You never know when you might rub shoulders with people that can help you out. It’s not unfeasible that you could hire, partner with, or receive mentorship from someone that you met at a conference.

Learn the Possibilities - At a recent National Trial Lawyers Association conference, they had their annual award ceremony. They give various awards like “Trial Lawyer of the Year” or “Hall of Fame Inductees”. At this ceremony, the winner of the lawyer of the year was chosen because of his recent $730M dollar verdict. $730M! It was one of the largest single event verdicts of all time. Going to conferences and learning what possibilities are out there expands your vision and helps you strive for more. In the day to day of work and mundanity, you lose sense of your vision and what you could become.

Explore the Unknown - I remember being at a conference and talking to a gentleman who had just recently won a massive verdict. He came to the conference to explore what his next practice area would be. He had an inclination that he wanted to get into mass torts, but he didn’t know which tort to pursue or how to pursue it. He told me that he had endless conversations with folks about what they thought would be the next talcum powder or TVM case. Through his conversations he found out the best/cheapest way to acquire cases, how to stay organized, and who to partner with. Going to the conference gave him some serious direction on where he wanted to go.

Fun - My one suggestion to all conference associations is that at least a half day of every conference be centered around fun. I don’t wanna be in Miami for 3-4 days and not ever see the ocean! There are a ton of conferences that are centered around skiing, concerts, dinner parties, etc., but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time at a conference that doesn’t have those activities. Almost every conference has some type of event where you can let loose and enjoy yourself.

Travel - Who said you couldn’t bring your family or significant others? Also, there is a temptation to only book for the dates of the conference because you have to get back to work, don’t do it. Plan an extra day to travel and see the city of where the conference is taking place. There is so much to see, don’t wait until retirement to see it.

CLE’s - It has become really easy to get your CLE’s as of late, especially with Zoom and the onset of COVID. As the dust starts to settle, studies are showing that remote learning just isn’t as effective as in-person. Yeah, you can also take in-person classes from your local bar association, but there is something about having skin in the game. If you spend money and travel to take your CLE’s, you get more out of it. I also think that conference organizations are the best at putting together an interesting curriculum and great speakers. These associations are incentivized to put together the best possible program. There is a lot to be gained from these sessions at conferences.

Business Write Offs - Almost your entire trip is a write off. It’s a good time to treat yourself to nicer meals, hotels, and services. This is great especially if you have had some significant settlements come in, or if you are just having a good year in general.

Speaking - If you hang around these conferences enough and are having success, you will likely have the opportunity to speak. Ironically, speaking is often of greater benefit to the presenter than to the audience. When you are forced to organize and compile your thoughts, you are able to internalize why you do things a certain way. It helps solidify your learning/practices like nothing else can.

Discover New Tech/Services - It's a competitive market, and if you don’t innovate, you will get left behind. Clients want to work with firms that utilize the best services and technology. If you want to be on the cutting edge of technology, you can’t wait until everyone is talking about a product. By that point, it is too late, everyone else has already adopted it. The only way to find the latest and newest tech and services is by either reading cold sales emails, or exploring vendors at conferences. Keep an open mind when strolling through the exhibit hall at these events. You just might find something that could revolutionize your practice.

If you’re an introvert, or you don’t like to travel, conferences can sound like a miserable couple of days. They’re exhausting for all who attend. If you go with an open mind and put a lot of effort in, they can be incredibly valuable. Time and money well spent.