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How Accessible Is Your Lawyer?

By Ben Stevens

One of the most common complaints clients make about their attorneys is that they are difficult to reach.  I hear this over and over from potential clients seeking to change lawyers.  These complaints range from the failure to return telephone calls promptly enough to the attorney being completely impossible to reach for days or weeks on end.

Since Family Court cases deal with extremely important issues, such as child custody, financial issues, divorce, etc., clients are understandably anxious to talk with their lawyer when issues arise.  If I was in the client's shoes, the questions that I would want to have answered as part of my process of evaluating an attorney and his firm are:

• How long does it typically take to get in touch with the attorney?
• What methods of communication does the lawyer use and/or prefer?
• What are the law firm's office hours?
  
• What happens if an emergency arises after hours?

At Stevens ? MacPhail, P.A., we strive to return all telephone calls on the day that they are received or the following morning if they are received late in the day.  To avoid playing "phone tag" with our clients, our legal assistants schedule telephone conferences for the client to speak with the attorney at a specific time.  This process is a win-win situation for both the client and the attorney.  It allows the attorney to prepare for the call and have the file and other necessary information in front of him at the specified time.  Perhaps more importantly, it allows the client to have the attorney's undivided attention, instead of catching him in the middle of whatever else he was working on at that time.

Our firm also uses a great deal of technology, which helps us provide better client service.  Our clients are provided with the email addresses for their attorney (and his assistant), so that the client can provide necessary informaiton and ask questions when they arise.  Many clients find that email works better than phone calls in certain situations, as it gives them the time to organize their thoughts before submitting it to the attorney.  Our attorneys have laptop computers and often respond to clients' email at night or on the weekends.  Our firm also stores all documents electronically, which means that they can be emailed to clients at any time.

Normal office hours at our firm are 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday.  In special situations, we can make arrangements to meet with clients before or after our normal office hours.  If a true emergency arises, our attorneys are listed in the telephone book and can be reached at home.  However, since we have families too and enjoy spending time with them, we reserve the right to charge an additional fee for calls made to our homes.

These issues are important, and you should think about them when choosing an attorney.  In today's world, I don't think that it makes sense to hire an attorney who is not technologically savvy.  Having your lawyer efficiently use such tools as email, electronic document storage, cell phones, etc. can greatly improve your attorney-client relationship and result in you receiving better service and maybe a better outcome in your case.  The bottom line is that you should never hire a lawyer who won’t respond promptly to your needs.

Full post as published by SC Family Law Blog on July 14, 2008 (boomark / email).