The hosts discuss developing good client relationships with Matthew Chan. Matt is a client of Oscar’s and he has had the opportunity to see litigation and lawyering from a variety of positions – as a pro se plaintiff and defendant, to a business owner who has had to hire lawyers for litigation and even from the perspective of a litigant before the Georgia Supreme Court, the State’s highest court. Seeing law at all these levels has provided Matt with insight into what clients and litigants like and don’t like about lawyers and lawyering.

Matt describes that ultimately what clients want is someone who is a real problem solver and that can explain the issues and the possibilities. The vast majority of clients want something done sooner rather than later and want to feel that their lawyer is on the same page and not looking to just pad the bill.

Some Don’ts for Lawyers from Matt’s perspective as a client:

• Don’t bill lots of hours for research – clients hired you because you know the law, billing for research should be reserved for specific issues that may come up, but clients don’t want to pay for your continuing education
• Don’t nickel and dime clients – Do you really need to bill for every email or five minute phone call?
• Consider giving a free consultation because many clients won’t go to a lawyer if they are charging a significant consultation fee.

Things Matt looks for in an attorney when he is shopping for legal services:

• Relevant experience – while many newer businesses or younger clients may need to go to a young lawyer based on price, clients want to go to the most-experienced lawyer they can afford. Experience gives clients confidence and reassurance
• More and more he looks to a lawyer’s online presence and “tech savviness” as that gives him confidence that the lawyer is up to current standards
• Lawyers with people skills – clients who need lawyers are in serious stress and a lawyer’s bedside manner and how they relate and respond to you is critical in the relationship.
• Good communication and regular feedback is key as well. Ask a client how he prefers to communicate and how often are they expecting to hear from your lawyer.

The hosts talk with Matt about the need for lawyers to be flexible to a client’s needs and expectations as well and discuss that early on in their relationship. Discuss these issues and goals with clients so everyone can be on the same page. The podcast provides objectives and goals for any solo or small firm that can help them develop better client relationships so that they can grow their practice from a client-centric perspective.    

The hosts discuss a recent Above The Law article about getting clients. The author of the article discusses how she thought about the steps she took when she selected a professional to hire. She applied what she did in those situations and what was important to her in developing her practice.
The first step most folks do in selecting a professional is seek suggestions from their referral network. They then will check the person’s credentials, give them a call and examine their responsiveness.
These are steps that your clients will be taking when selecting a lawyer so you need to examine how you would be judge by this criteria.

The authors also discuss keeping your name and services on top of your client’s mind by using newsletters, blogs, and emails. It’s not easy - it takes planning, patience, attention to detail and consistency but keeping contact with your clients and keeping a strong online presence is a necessary step in rebooting your law practice.   

This week we welcome Stephen Furnari of lawfirmsuites.com. Stephen Furnari is a self-employed corporate attorney and the founder of Law Firm Suites. Law Firm Suites is a professionally managed shared law office space for solo attorneys and small law firms based in New York City. Through Law Firm Suites, Stephen has helped dozens of attorneys launch and grow successful law practices. He is the author of several eBooks, including “7 Deadly Mistakes that Prevent Law Practice Success” and “An Insider’s Guide to Renting the Perfect Law Office”. Stephen has been featured in the ABA Journal,Entrepreneur, New York Daily News and Crain’s New York. He can be connected with on Twitter (@stephenfurnari) or Google+.

Stephen explained that his business model is not merely the rental of or sub-rental of office space to lawyers. Plenty of lawyers rent out part of their suites to other lawyers. His business requires tenants to agree to a collegiate atmosphere that encourages cross-referrals. The model is to form a cooperative environment where lawyers form different practice groups can work together, share costs and refer each other business outside their own practice areas.

The hosts discuss with Stephen how his business model fits perfectly into the Reboot philosophy that the best way to develop a self-sustaining, fulfilling practice is through networking and creating a reliable referral program. The podcast discusses the details of Stephen’s company and how young or struggling lawyers can benefit form participating in a positive, collaborative environment.

Stephen has set up a special offer for our listeners. Go to www.lawfirmsuites.com/lawreboot to get a free copy of his guide: The Ultimate Guide to Maximizing Referrals in a Shared Law Office Space

Episode 17 Developing a Niche Practice – Part 2


The hosts continue their discussion of how to add a niche practice of law to your business. They remind listeners that it may take time to grow, it will not happen overnight. Scott and Oscar give some specific details of how to start such a practice. It starts with setting goals and creating a business plan. Selecting the right area is key and it may take more than one attempt to find the right niche. It’s best to look at areas that you already have a potential to get business in that area. Some pointers:
• Start by deciding the large practice group – Family Law, Criminal Defense
• Look for narrow topics within those larger areas –private adoption for example in Family Law or Forfeiture Proceedings in Criminal Law
• Research the field and see what it is that clients will be looking for; analyze the market place to see if that niche is already glutted with lawyers. Are their associations you can join that will expose you to businesses and entities that may need the services you a relooking to provide?
• Develop social media around the niche area including a separate web page entirely or at least a strong section on your current website devoted to the niche area. Write an article or two in that field before you start marketing yourself.
• Continue networking but focus on establishing yourself as the go-to lawyer in that niche area.

Remember that the whole point is to differentiate yourself from other lawyers and to have clients who are looking for lawyers in that niche area find you and hire you. Patience is key, take time to decide on the right area, put the social media in place directed at that area before you start marketing and networking and then go out and channel your networking efforts in trying to attract business in your chosen niche area.