Business is won and lost based on relationships. All other things being equal, the attorneys at Hackard Law Firm have learned if you are skilled at relationship-building you are valued and rewarded. If you simply take for granted the existence of a relationship you will be ignored when it comes to new business. 

Your Firm Can Be Replaced

Attorneys should develop active listening skills. Sometimes attorneys ignore or don’t lend a keen ear to what the client says or requests. Avoid the temptation to interrupt or assume you know the answer. If you don’t listen, it can lead to a situation where you make assumptions and provide bad advice based on those assumptions — your firm can be replaced.

There Is More Effective Communication

Attorneys should concentrate to forge a relationship with clients as this leads to more effective communication and the discovery of more relevant facts. As a result, you have an upper hand in decision making, and thus you improve your chances of successfully resolving a case. 

Attorneys using either of these two approaches are more likely to obtain optimal results consistent with the client’s best interests because they took the time to explore the subject with the client.

You must maintain continuous communication. Clear, concise communication will help you and your client stay on the same page as you maneuver through your case proceedings.  You can keep track of topics you two have covered via email communication.

You should send follow-up emails after any verbal substantive conversation, which summarizes the discussion and makes sure you are both in agreement with regards on how to move forward, or the considerations for your next steps. 

Communicate fairly regularly. You can be in contact with your client every day, and some every 2 weeks or so, but the nature of your case will somewhat dictate how often you two will be in touch.

Increases Client Satisfaction

When attorneys build a relationship with clients, it increases client satisfaction. Clients want to be treated with respect. They expect their attorneys to maintain a respectful relationship with them throughout the case. They look for attorneys who care and appreciate them and are attentive to their feelings. Clients tend to trust such attorneys. Your client will respond favorably if you nurture such a relationship with them. 

When you answer their emails and calls promptly and maintain reliable and honest terms with your clients, it really helps you go the extra mile to achieve success.

When you achieve customer satisfaction by building a relationship with clients, your reputation will also improve, which will lead to more business growth in the long term.

Nurtures Trust

Most clients want to build a relationship with attorneys because they want to be able to confide in and to trust the attorney they count on to help them resolve their problem. They look for an attorney who not only listens and respects them but also who cares about them and understands their situation. You nurture trust with your clients if you are this kind of an attorney. 

When your client trusts you, they are more likely to be satisfied with your case outcomes and more likely will believe they were treated fairly by the legal system.

A client communicates openly and this ensures the attorney gets the clearest picture of what happened in the case and thus what defenses to build. If a client is not able to trust you, it’s going to affect your ability to effectively represent him or her in the courtroom. 

Make it very clear to your clients from the very beginning of your cases that you are an attorney they should trust. This is a big milestone as clients might be worried about what you might think about certain facts. 

You Become More Competent

Attorneys who relate well with their clients are consistently viewed as more competent and more likely to help clients achieve their goals. Thus you tend to produce satisfied clients. You work with clients to help them understand themselves in their cases. You use this information to make better, healthier decisions in your client’s case. 

Attorneys to build a relationship with clients should be available to speak with a client whenever the client has questions. A lot of attorneys don’t allocate time to speak with their clients. A client should not be left wondering what’s happening in the case. Your client should have confidence in you — no matter how busy you are, they know the case is moving forward. You should be in touch as soon as there’s new information about the case.

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