Practice checklist
Author | Stewart I. Edelstein |
Profession | Commercial trial lawyer |
Pages | 399-422 |
399
PRACTICE CHECKLISTS
❖❖❖❖
Dealing with Clients
•Completeaconflictscheckbeforeundertakinganyrepresentation.
•Bewareofscamsinundertakinganyrepresentation.
•Declineaprospectiverepresentationifredflagsareraised.
•Ifyoudeclinetherepresentation,putitinwriting.
•Beforedoingsubstantivework,obtainawrittenretaineragreement.
•Consideralternativefeearrangements:
reducedhourlywithperformancebonus
blendedrate
fixedfee
contingentfee
retrospectivefeebasedonresult
straightretainer
volumediscount
•Ifyouundertaketherepresentation,meetpromptlywiththeclientat
yourclient’splaceofbusinessoryouroffice.
•Atthefirstclientmeeting:
establishrapport
explaintheattorney-clientprivilege
explainthepurposeofthemeeting
getnecessaryinformation
discussthedocumentlitigationholdrequirement
getacommitmentthattheclientwilldevotetheresources
youneed (continued)
9781634256926_checklist.indd 39923/12/16 12:24 PM
400 | How to Succee d as a Trial L awyer
discussoptions
don’tpredictoutcomewithspecificity
discussyourfee
warnyourclientaboutcommunicatingaboutthecaseand
preservingtheattorney-clientprivilege
askformoreinformation
•Meet w ith all represent atives of your client fro m whom you need
information.
•Earlyintherepresentation,obtainthedocumentsyouneed.
•Ifyoutakethecase,informtheclientwhatmustbedone;arrangefor
thehelpyouwillneedfromsupportstaff,experts,andothers;develop
anoverallstrategy;andfollowthrough.
•Workcollaborativelywithyourclient.
•Manageclientexpectationsastotime,cost,andresult.
•Dealwithdifficultclientsbyunderstandingwhatconcernscausethem
tobedifficult.
•When yo u need to delive r bad news to a c lient, do so pr omptly, be
direct in expl aining the signif icance o f what happen ed, and disc uss
optionsinyourstrategygoingforward.
•Inpreparingyourclienttotestifyincourt,tailoryourpreparationto
theexperience,sophistication,andpersonalityofyourclient,follow-
ingthetipsinthetext.
•Beconscientiousaboutcapturingandrecordingyourbillableandnon-
billabletimeeachday.
•Afteryouhavecompletedyourrepresentation,sendalettertothecli-
enttothateffectand,ifyouhavenotdonesoalready,informtheclient
ofotherservicesyourfirmprovides.
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