Navigating the attorney-client relationship is challenging, rewarding, and everything in between. Let’s face it: legal matters can be stressful for clients and their attorneys.
Whether you’re handling a high-stakes corporate merger or a complex property dispute, the relationship you build with your clients matters.
Indeed, a healthy attorney-client relationship makes the whole process easier for everyone. More importantly, perhaps, it can lead to higher client satisfaction and those oh-so-desirable referrals.
So, how do you create and maintain this crucial relationship? Let’s dive into some key strategies that can transform your interactions from transactional to truly collaborative.
1. Clear communication
Obviously, solid communication is the cornerstone of any strong relationship, and the attorney-client dynamic is no different. Among other things, clear and consistent communication can significantly reduce misunderstandings and frustrations.
Here are some of the best ways to maintain great communication with your clients:
Give regular updates
Keep your clients informed about the progress of their case. Whether it’s a quick email or a brief phone call, regular updates show your clients that you’re actively working on their behalf. It also keeps them from having to worry about what’s going on and when they might see appreciable results.
Be available for questions
Make yourself available to answer your clients’ questions. This doesn’t mean you need to be on call 24/7, but setting aside time to address their concerns can go a long way in building trust.
One way to do this is by scheduling regular check-ins with your clients. Even if nothing is actively happening in their case, at least they’ll know you’re continually thinking about their legal issue.
Avoid legal jargon
Remember, your clients might not be familiar or comfortable with legal terminology. Explain things in plain language to help them understand the complexities of their case.
Use tech to your advantage
These days, there’s no excuse for not leveraging technology to streamline communication. Email, client portals, and messaging apps can make it easier to keep clients updated and engaged.
2. Set realistic expectations
One of the most important steps in building a healthy attorney-client relationship is setting clear expectations from the very beginning. This keeps your client from being side-swiped by something they didn’t know was possible.
Here are the top expectations you need to set from the get-go:
Fees
Before you even have a signed retainer agreement, be upfront about your fees and billing practices. Explain how and when clients will be billed and what they can expect in terms of costs.
Transparency here can prevent unpleasant surprises down the road. It can also help ensure that your invoices are paid on time.
Timelines
Look, most of your clients have never been involved in legal processes before. Therefore, it’s critical to provide a realistic timeline for their case.
While it’s important to be optimistic, it’s equally crucial to manage expectations and prepare clients for possible delays or setbacks.
Potential outcomes
Talk to your clients about the possible outcomes of their case. Help them understand the best-case and worst-case scenarios so they can make informed decisions.
While every client wants their lawyer to be confident about their case, the truth is that even “slam-dunk” cases can go sideways with a random ruling by a grumpy judge.
3. Keep the client’s perspective in mind
Empathy is a powerful tool in any relationship, perhaps especially professional relationships. By understanding and valuing your client’s perspective, you can tailor your approach to meet their needs and priorities.
Here’s how:
Understand the client’s goals
Take the time to understand your client’s goals, concerns, and priorities. What are they hoping to achieve? What are their biggest worries?
This understanding can help you provide more personalized and effective service. It can also drive your strategies.
Practice empathy and active listening
Show empathy and practice active listening. This means not just hearing what your clients say, but truly taking the time to understand their feelings and concerns.
While you may not be able to quash all of their fears, validating their experience can keep the relationship healthy.
Take a client-centric approach
This goes without saying, but you should always keep your client’s best interests at heart. This not only helps in building trust but also ensures that your actions align with their goals.
For example, if a client perceives that your interest in meeting your billable hour requirements exceeds their desire to keep costs down, the relationship will inevitably suffer.
4. Build trust and transparency
Clients absolutely have to trust their lawyers. The truth is, legal clients often feel vulnerable and uncertain. Consequently, your efforts to build trust through honesty and transparency is essential.
Here are some of the ways you can build trust with your clients:
Show integrity
Be honest with your clients about the strengths and weaknesses of their case. Sugar-coating or withholding information might seem like the “nice” thing to do in the short term, but it can lead to bigger issues later on.
Be transparent about case developments
Keep your clients informed about any new developments, challenges, or changes in their case. If your opponents file a brief that puts your client’s overall position in jeopardy, be honest about it.
That doesn’t mean that you roll over and take the loss, of course. But it does help the client understand why you may need to pivot your legal strategy mid-course.
Handle mistakes professionally
If a mistake occurs, own up to it immediately. Explain what happened, how it affects the case, and what steps you’re taking to rectify the situation.
While clients are never going to be happy about your mistakes, they will appreciate your honesty and accountability.
5. Manage difficult conversations
No one enjoys having tough conversations, but they’re an inevitable part of legal practice. Handling these situations with tact and empathy can make a significant difference in maintaining a healthy attorney-client relationship.
Here’s what we suggest:
Deliver bad news promptly
Be honest and direct when delivering bad news. Clients appreciate candor and will trust you more if you don’t sugar-coat the truth. Use a calm and compassionate tone to convey the message.
Moreover, if you’ve done your job in managing expectations, your clients will understand that not everything in their case is going to go their way at every turn.
Discuss fees openly
Money is a sensitive topic for just about every client. Approach fee discussions with transparency and patience. Clearly explain any additional costs and why they are necessary.
If your opponent files a motion for summary judgment, for example, you don’t really have the option to just not respond. The opposition brief will be expensive to prepare, and your client deserves to know that.
This is another area where your expectation management will go a long way. If you’ve prepared your clients for the potential for unexpected fees and costs, they’ll be less likely to be angry with you when their invoices start to rise.
Practice de-escalation techniques
No matter how great of an attorney you are, your clients will sometimes be angry or disappointed with you. When a conversation starts to get heated, use de-escalation techniques such as active listening, validating the client’s feelings, and taking a moment to pause and breathe.
Example: “I understand this isn’t the news you were hoping for, but let’s discuss our next steps and how we can move forward from here.”
6. Seek feedback
Feedback is a powerful tool for improvement. By seeking and acting on client feedback, you can enhance your services and show clients that their opinions matter.
Soliciting feedback
After a case is concluded, ask clients for their feedback on your services. This can be done through surveys, follow-up calls, or even informal conversations.
Acting on feedback
Use the feedback to identify areas for improvement. Implement changes based on client suggestions to enhance your practice.
Closing the loop
Let clients know that their feedback has been heard and what actions you’ve taken as a result. This demonstrates your commitment to continuous improvement.
Pro tip
Consider setting up an anonymous feedback system to encourage honest and candid responses.
7. Stay interested in your clients’ businesses
Your clients want to know that you’re the best attorney to handle their particular case. To continually prove this to them, you should seek out and share relevant industry knowledge.
Seek knowledge
Regularly read legal publications, attend webinars, and participate in professional development courses that are relevant to your clients and their industries.
Watch relevant law
Set up automated alerts that highlight successful case outcomes or legislation changes that help your client’s industry or legal position.
Conclusion
Creating a healthy attorney-client relationship requires a combination of hard and soft skills.
By implementing the above strategies, attorneys can build strong, collaborative relationships with their clients, which can lead to smoother case progressions, higher client satisfaction, and ultimately, better outcomes for all parties involved.
Remember: a healthy attorney-client relationship is one of your most valuable assets. It fosters mutual respect and trust, and may lead to bountiful referrals in the future. So, put these tips into practice and watch your client relationships flourish.
