Mistake #1: Not knowing the business of your law firm.
The business of your law firm is to sell legal services. Nothing else. This is not the same as your job as a lawyer. Your job as a lawyer maybe to protect your clients rights, make your client’s happy, etc. But the business of your firm is to sell legal services and if you fail to do that, you will not have a law firm in time. I mention this because lawyers do not like to think of their firm as a “business” but it is. Some think of that as “unprofessional” likely started because in the past lawyers were not allowed to advertise at all. But that was then and this is now. You have as much of an obligation to take care of your family’s financial needs as you do to take care of your client’s legal needs. Do your best job as a lawyer but keep your eye on the fact that your firm is a business.
Mistake #2: Doing What the Big Firms Do.
There are firms with so much money that they can spend huge amounts of money on advertising. Don’t think for one moment this means they are getting a profitable return on their investment or that they even know if they are. Most lawyers just do what everyone else is doing even though it generally does not work. Learn what works and copy that.
Mistake# 3: Have Your Business Meetings Over Lunch.
Restaurants are distracting and not the best place to meet with a client. Your office is the best place to meet with a potential client. It is professional and allows you to pull up files or other information instead of having to tell them that you will get back to them. Restaurants also lack privacy. You don’t want to discuss matters that can be overheard.
Mistake#4: Forget That Your First Job as a Lawyer is to do a Great Job Taking Care of Your Clients.
I don’t care how big a stream of new clients you have, if you don’t do a great job it will dry up. Your most important job is to do a great job. Overall in business (and your law firm is a business) it costs seven times as much to get a new client/customer than to keep an old one. Focus on your clients and keep them happy so that they come back and send their friends and family and other companies to you. Always do your best and it will pay off.
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About Sheila Danzig
Sheila Danzig, the director of CCI TheDegreePeople.com, excels in resolving RFEs and denials for work visas, specializing in educational and employment visa challenges.