Poor communication often leads to bad case outcomes and malpractice complaints or grievances. It’s the lawyer’s responsibility to know how and when to talk and listen so that clients understand.
Lawyers can sue clients for fees, but that option should be the last, not the first, in preventing and resolving disagreements about bills.
How to resolve a potential error might not be obvious, but one thing is always 100 percent clear: covering up the mistake is wrong.
Engagement letters are vital to good representation because clients who are well informed from the start are more likely to be satisfied at the end.
Anything you don’t write down can be used against you. If an unhappy client decides to challenge the results of litigation, a transaction, or some other aspect of a representation, you don’t want to be caught with your head in the sand.
Family law has become a more hazardous practice area for Wisconsin lawyers, at least as measured by one insurer’s record-keeping. Learn more about the dangers so you can increase the likelihood of having satisfied clients who understand their cases and willingly pay your fees.
An ABA study shows technology innovations may be helping lawyers reduce administrative errors, but risk management is still important. If technology is not used properly, or if lawyers’ record-keeping is sloppy, a malpractice claim might be just around the corner.
The best advice for many lawyers contemplating adding new clients or cases is to think globally but practice locally. The risks of expanding beyond your state’s borders to meet clients’ needs include lack of knowing another state’s procedures and laws, getting outside your own comfort zone, and not understanding the jurisdiction in which the case resides.
If you’re thinking about going solo, there are many things to consider, from locating an office to developing clients to employing technology to operating your business, and more. Challenging? Yes. Rewarding? Yes. Best of all, you’re not really alone.
Whether client files are in boxes in the basement or in electronic folders in the cloud, lawyers must know how to preserve them safely and when to dispose of or delete them.
