Marie - this is a very interesting and insightful question. My first CLE course was called "How to Keep Your Client's Trust When Things Go Wrong." The course dealt with the topic of why, after a lawyer has done everything he/she is supposed to do, a client gets angry, frustrated, annoyed and takes it out out on the lawyer. Is the lawyer doing something wrong? Every lawyer prepares a client - every lawyer tells clients a lot of things at the beginning of a case, before trial, before deposition to prepare the client and set expectations. But no matter, the client still gets upset even when things happen the lawyer told them about. Lawyers become perplexed - they did all they were supposed to do and still the attorney-client relationship is jeopardized. My solution is is what I call super-charging ethics and using an advanced warning system that puts the client mental and emotional needs first. Really understanding what the client needs. This is the client psychology that can make or break a relationship. When you get this right, you'll have a client for life who will do all your marketing for you (even when you don't win the case) and he/she will send more clients just like him/her your way. That's how I've built my law practice.
Francine Tone
Managing Partner
