Practice checklists

• Author: Stewart Edelstein
• Pages: 359-380

359

PRACTICE CHECKLISTS

❖❖❖❖

Dealing with Clients

• Compl ete a conflicts chec k before undertaking any r epresentation.

• Beware o f scams in undertaking any r epresentation.

• Dec line a prospective repre sentation if red flags ar e raised.

• If you de cline the representati on, put it in writing.

• Befor e doing substantive work , obtain a written ret ainer agreement.

• Cons ider alternative fee arra ngements:

__ __ __ ___ __ reduced h o urly w i th p erforma nc e b onu s

__ __ __ ___ __ blended r a te

__ __ __ ___ __ f i xed f ee

__ __ __ ___ __ c o nting ent fee

__ __ __ ___ __ retrospec t ive f ee b ased on r esult

__ __ __ ___ __ s t raight retainer

__ __ __ ___ __ volume d iscou nt

• If you undertake the representation, meet promptly with the client at

your client’s plac e of business or your offic e.

• At the fi rst client meeting

__ __ __ ___ __ est a blish rappor t

__ __ __ ___ __ explai n the a ttorney-clien t privi lege

__ _______ __ ex pl ai n t he pu rp os e of th e m ee ti ng

__ __ __ ___ __ get n ecessary i n formation

__ __ __ ___ __ di sc us s t he do cu me nt li ti ga ti on h ol d r eq ui re me nt

__ __ __ ___ __ g et a c om mi tm en t t ha t t he cl ie nt wi ll d ev ot e t he re so ur ce s

you need(continued)

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360 | How to Succeed as a Tria l Lawyer

__ __ __ ___ __ discuss o p tions

__ __ __ ___ __ don’t predict o utcom e

__ __ __ ___ __ discuss y o ur f e e

__ __ __ ___ __ warn your client about preserving the attorney-client

privilege

__ __ __ ___ __ ask f o r mor e inf ormation

• Meet with all representatives of your client from whom you need

information.

• Early in th e representation, obt ain the documents you need .

• If you take the c ase, inform the client what mus t be done; arrange for

the help you will nee d from support sta ff, experts, and o thers; develop

an overall strate gy; and follow through.

• Work collab oratively with your client .

• Manage c lient expectations a s to time, cost, and resul t.

• De al with difficult c lients by understan ding what concerns ca use them

to be difficult.

• When you need to deliver bad news to a client, do so promptly, be

direct in explaining the significance of what happened, and discuss

options in your str ategy going forward.

• In preparing your client to testify in court, tailor your preparation to

the experience, sophistication, and personality of your client, follow-

ing the tips in the tex t.

• Be c onscientious abou t capturing and record ing your billable and non-

billable time each day.

• Af ter you have completed your repr esentation, send a le tter to the cli-

ent to that ef fect, and, if you have not done so already, inform the cli-

ent of other ser vices your firm provides .

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