As a solicitor, you\u2019re 100 per cent committed to helping your clients. But do your clients know this?<\/p>\n
Strong client relationships are key to building a successful, client-centred law firm<\/a>. You might be working late nights and 12-hour days for your clients, but if you\u2019re not consciously building strong solicitor-client relationships, your clients could feel neglected. Remember: While you may have many clients, most of your clients will only have one solicitor. You\u2019ll need to account for that mismatch.<\/p>\n Building strong solicitor-client relationships is key to the success of your law firm. Why? If your clients don\u2019t feel that they\u2019re getting instant, diligent representation, they may not refer future business, and they may even post negative feedback publicly.<\/p>\n Phrases like, \u201c[insert solicitor\u2019s name] didn\u2019t fight for me\u201d litter malpractice grievances and negative reviews across the web.<\/p>\n Here are a few tips for creating a strong solicitor-client relationship:<\/p>\n First and foremost, you have an obligation to be diligent on behalf of your clients. Principle 7 of the SRA Principles<\/a> requires solicitors to act in the best interests of each client.<\/p>\n A number of items fall under the umbrella of diligence\u2014arriving for appointments on time and managing a reasonable workload, for starters. On top of that, you\u2019ll need to communicate with your clients promptly, whether it\u2019s convenient for you or not.<\/p>\n Beyond your day-to-day commitments, there can be some heavy demands on solicitors in terms of diligence. For example, the SRA Code of Conduct<\/a> explains the conduct expected of solicitors in the UK. The Code states that solicitors must “act in the best interests of each client” and “provide a proper standard of service to your clients”. This includes pursuing a matter on behalf of a client despite opposition, obstruction, or personal inconvenience to the solicitor.<\/p>\n Solicitors are constantly being asked to do more with less. With new law firm technologies and more tools for solicitors<\/a> being announced all the time, there are plenty of tools available to help solicitors work smarter.<\/p>\n But, that added efficiency comes at a cost\u2014with more to do, there\u2019s more to juggle. As a solicitor, it\u2019s still your duty to make sure all the tiniest details are correct in every legal document you produce.<\/p>\n Features like document automation in your practice management software can help make sure everything is properly formatted.<\/p>\n Diligence is important, but to be appropriately committed to all of your clients, you\u2019ve got to keep your workload manageable. While the SRA guidance does not have a specific rule addressing workload control in this manner. It emphasises the need for effective governance structures, arrangements, systems, and controls to ensure compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements, which includes competent handling of matters.<\/p>\n In other words, balance isn\u2019t just a matter of self-care for solicitors\u2014it\u2019s a matter of ethics. It\u2019s no use getting more clients if you can\u2019t provide all of them with appropriate representation.<\/p>\n Make sure you\u2019re properly estimating how long tasks will take, and that you\u2019re keeping an eye on your pipeline of new clients. Technology can make this easier. For example, Advanced Tasks<\/a>, in Clio Manage, available to Advanced and Complete plan subscribers, let you estimate the amount of time that goes into a task. You can also set statuses for your tasks, assign tasks to different people, and get reports on your firm\u2019s productivity.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong> Is Work-Life Balance in UK Law Achievable?<\/a><\/p>\n Taking care of yourself might seem out of place on a list of tips for staying committed in solicitor-client relationships, but it\u2019s actually one of the most important things you need to be paying attention to. If you\u2019re not taking care of yourself, you won\u2019t be in a position to help your clients.<\/p>\n Make sure you\u2019re taking at least an hour or two a day for your personal well-being\u2014especially if you\u2019re working long days. Your clients (and your health) will thank you for it.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong> Work-Related Stress: Avoiding Solicitor Burnout<\/a><\/p>\n Just meet your deadlines and get there on time. Seems simple, right? For solicitors who have a lot to keep track of, arriving on time might not be as simple as you\u2019d think. Between meetings, appointments, hearings, and deadlines, there are plenty of places for scheduling errors to pop up.<\/p>\n Late meetings and missed dates can be troublesome for the solicitor-client relationship. Even when a client\u2019s interests are not affected in substance, unreasonable delay can cause a client needless anxiety and undermine confidence in the solicitor\u2019s trustworthiness. You can lose the client.<\/p>\n To keep on top of your busy schedule, use calendaring tools to set up reminders. Google Calendars, iCal, or Outlook are great places to start. Clio’s legal calendar software<\/a> keeps you updated on case milestones, shares appointments with clients, and syncs with your Office 365 or Google Calendar events. You can only so much you can keep in your head. But with the right tools, you\u2019ll get reminders for appointments and key dates right when you need them.<\/p>\n As with any relationship, listening is key when building new relationships with your clients. This doesn\u2019t mean simply asking a token list of client intake questions either\u2014take time to listen to your client\u2019s problems and make an effort to truly understand what they\u2019re seeking from you.<\/p>\n Only then will you be able to demonstrate a genuine commitment to helping your clients.<\/p>\n Dan Pinnington suggests a good place to start: He asks all of his clients \u201cWhat\u2019s your greatest concern?\u201d This forces his clients into a moment of clarity and helps him identify how best to reassure them that he can help with their current situation.<\/p>\n1. Be diligent<\/h2>\n
2. Exercise attention to detail<\/h2>\n
3. Keep a reasonable workload<\/h2>\n
\n4. Take care of yourself<\/h2>\n
\n5. Arrive on time<\/h2>\n
6. Listen<\/h2>\n