Divorce lawyers are generally not well liked and sometimes for good reason. Here are the top five reasons why I think lawyers get a bad rap with the public.
- They think they are entitled to be late to appointments because their time is more important than everyone else’s time.
- They don’t call people back or respond to emails as soon as people would like.
- Lawyers don’t explain the law in regular English.
- They promise things they can’t deliver.
- And for most people hiring a divorce lawyer means things are not going well for you!
Dr. Lawyer (Photo credit: williac)
Now, I don’t think all lawyers are at fault for doing the above but most of us at one time or the other have been guilty of at least one of these client sins.
In my office, we meet frequently to discuss ways to improve the firm and meet client expectations. We also send out client surveys at the end of every case and ask for feedback on what we did well and more importantly what we could do better. In response to client requests, we are implementing a new document management system which will allow us to share documents securely with clients through a client log-in so that clients can view their own case documents online and without sending multiple emails.
Aside from picking a good lawyer from the start, one way you can increase your understanding of what is happening in your case and get your lawyer to respond is to make a list of questions and concerns that you have throughout the week and email your attorney on Thursday. While you might not get a response to everything on Friday, you should get answers to your questions by Monday. Another way to get your lawyer’s attention, is to schedule a phone conference. Try to pick a morning time or late afternoon to minimize the risk that the lawyer will get called into court and have to reschedule with you.
If you have suggestions for how we can improve at our firm shoot me an email.
N.C. Family Law Blog 
A retired law enforcement officer, and now a Divorce Coach I agree with your comments regarding the frustration clients feel when they are unable to receive return calls from their attorney. In fact it is the number one reason cited for wanting to change attorneys. An issue we constantly deal with in our coaching services. I was also impressed at your solution to share documents on a file saving program with protected log in to give clients access to their documents during their divorce. Additionally a survey given to clients upon completion of their case is rare in most businesses, even more so with a law firm. For that reason I would be interested in obtaining additional information on your law firm for referring clients to who are within your area. As to your comment on seeking additional improvements your firm may want to consider, I would suggest supplementing your services with mine, Custody Calculations Divorce Coach. As you know many questions a client may have may not be directly related to the courtroom; parenting, real estate, financial, mediation, social services, dental appointments, pick up and drop off issues etc. And controlling costs is a significant factor in a client’s ability to maintain legal representation. It’s a win/win for everyone.
Posted by custodycalculations | June 9, 2012, 1:51 am