Effective law office management isn't going to be limited to the structure of the office or any of the law elements involved. That human component is going to be made up of clients and staff members. However, simply having staff and clients doesn't mean that your job managing a law office is done. People need to get along for something to work, and that is something that applies to basically everything that involves people interacting with one another.
Generating a healthy relationship between the clients and the staff of a firm, as well as healthy relationships amongst the staff members, is incredibly important. Law offices that have strong, effective management capabilities tend to have communication and personal relation skills that are just as strong and effective. This article will dive into the importance of creating healthy relationships with clients and staff members in a law firm, as well as how it can be done and what problems may occur. Useful strategies for personal relations and communication within a law firm will also be discussed.
Creating Healthy Relationships with Clients
Why Is It Important?-The health of a relationship between a client and their legal team often serves as the basis for all of their interactions. A healthy relationship between a client and the members of their legal team allows for trust to develop. Without trust, a client may withhold important information or feel like their lawyer(s) isn't truly acting with their best interests in mind. An unhealthy relationship between a law firm and their clients tends to result in poor communication, which is the biggest reason why clients will seek to fire their lawyers. 1
For the legal team, not having a healthy relationship with a client can be problematic. They can take the wrong step or not address something in a client's case as they should because there isn't a steady stream of communication between them and the client. Mistakes can be made that can lead to a case turning against them or the client terminating their contract with the firm. It can also be damaging to the firm's reputation, which can present a whole other set of problems. A healthy relationship with clients will ensure that they leave the office satisfied; too many unsatisfied clients as a result of poor relationships between them and the firm can potentially bring into question the abilities of the lawyers at the firm.
Most law firms will look at the clients they have a poor relationship with to learn from it. The state of the relationship may be entirely the fault of the client, and there's nothing that can be done on the behalf of the law firm. Relationships with clients that are high-maintenance, yet have a low return can harm the firm. 2 From a managerial perspective, looking at the relationship with those types of clients can prove to be a fantastic learning experience for the firm because it shows what to NOT do and what to avoid.
How Can You Do It?-Creating healthy relationships with clients requires a look at what is already being done. Reflecting on existing actions and behaviors can identify flaws and places that need added care. Think about what has been successful so far? What seems to be doing more harm than good? Pay attention to how clients respond and interact to staff members. Ask for feedback from clients and encourage them to speak up if they have a problem with any member of the firm's staff or the firm itself.
Another thing that can be done to create healthy relationships with clients is for a firm to look at its existing public image. As stated previously, lawyers and law firms already have a somewhat bad reputation in the eyes of the public. Those established public perceptions are going to be hard to shake and they can have a major impact on how any kind of business relationship develops. 3 Do an internet search of the firm and the legal team to see if there are any reviews online. Take it as another form of feedback that can be learned from.
Effective communication with clients is going to be vital to a creating a relationship with them. Be clear on what it is that you are trying to get across to them and ask questions if they are having problems understanding. Read the situation and pay attention to the client's response-tone of voice, body language, etc. Put the client and their needs first.
What Problems Are There?-The biggest issue that is going to occur with client relationships is that some clients are just going to be hard to get along with. It can be a matter of conflicting personalities between the client and their lawyer, prejudice, or a lack of cooperation. Some clients see their relationship with a law firm strictly as a business association, and will only care about how their lawyer can get them what they want. While there isn't anything wrong with such a relationship, it can lead to some degree of abuse by the client. Should a client or case turn abusive or toxic, it may be a good call for the lawyer or firm to end their contract with that client for their own sake.
The circumstances behind why the client has enlisted the firm's services can also impact the relationship-a case can be frustrating, upsetting, and a flat-out difficult experience for all parties. The high stress of some cases can raise tensions and make people say or do things that they normally wouldn't. Everyone involved is going to respond differently and having an ample amount of patience can truly help.
Creating Healthy Relationships with Law Firm Staff
Anyone who has ever had co-workers can say that your ability to get along with them can have a huge impact on your workday and productivity. It is no different for the staff at a law firm. Creating and maintaining healthy relationship amongst the staff is going to be an important task for those who are in charge of a law office's management. The negative effects of unhealthy or even toxic staff relations can extend beyond the staff, affecting the clients and the operations of the firm overall. Taking action to ensure that healthy relationships are going to develop at a law firm is a key part of law office management, and failing to address it will only cause unnecessary problems.
Why Is It Important?-Very rarely will you find a case at a firm being worked on by a single person. There are going to be multiple staff members involved in the same case who need to work together for it to be successful. If the staff members at a firm can't get along, then there's a strong possibility that the cases that the firm takes on are going to be negatively affected. For the sake of the firm's clients, healthy relations between all staff members are rather crucial.
The relationship between staffers can also affect the work atmosphere at a firm, which can impact their work and clients when they are in the office. It will be harder for staff members to interact with one another if there is some animosity involved. Co-workers can get into arguments, fight over clients, and even try to sabotage each other's actions if there is a conflict. The tension will be noticeable to the clients and can suggest to them that something is wrong with the firm.
How Can You Do It?-The structure of the firm is going to lay the groundwork for how relationships develop amongst the staff. Most firms use a tiered system for partnerships, which can create a lot of competition. 4 Such a system does have its perks, but it can put undue value on certain aspects over others. It can also lead staff to see their peers as enemies rather than allies. Setting up a structure that is going to be beneficial to all staff members and prevent animosity from developing can curb the development of toxic relationships within the firm.
Encouraging teamwork and open communication can also help to foster healthy relationships. The administration staff of the law office should make sure that they are aware of what is going on and that they have a system in place to address problems within the firm. Being aware of what is going on within the office in the first place can help catch problems before they get out of hand. Showing appreciation for every person on staff, regardless of their position, can help build trust between management, staff, and the entire team.
What Problems Are There?-As with clients, there is the chance that some staff members are just hard to get along with. A staff member could come into the firm with their own goals in mind and no regard for those around them. They may not last long in the firm, but they can rub people the wrong way and cause discord. Not everyone is going to be a good fit, and trying to force things to work can make things worse.
There is also an issue with competition. Some competition between co-workers is acceptable, and is even welcomed. However, it can get out of hand and spiral into something dangerous for the whole firm. A staff member may have a goal that they want to accomplish-win an important case, a big payday-that they can become too narrow in their focus and forget about everything else around them.
Effective Communication Strategies
Healthy relationships are not going to develop at a law firm naturally. Even with the specific suggestions for clients and staffers discussed previously, more things may need to be done. A firm may have no problems developing a healthy environment and relationships, but they still need to maintain those things to ensure that they stay healthy and safe. Law office management, and those who are responsible for it, usually contributes to that development and maintenance.
As stated, communication plays a major role in creating personal relations in a professional environment. The following strategies are examples of what a law office can do in order to generate strong communication skills within the firm. These are not the only strategies available to law firms, and it should be noted that they may not work for every situation that a firm may encounter.
Be Clear-Being cryptic or vague isn't a very acceptable communication technique for the workplace. Being as clear as possible, especially when giving instructions or passing on information, can prevent miscommunication. 5 Saying one thing when you really mean something else is only going to send the wrong message. Clear communication between a legal team and a client, or within a legal team, can help foster honesty and trust.
Listen!-Most would agree that lawyers are better at talking than they are at listening. 6 It the biggest part of their job and a vital skill that can help them in a pinch. However, communication is a two-way street and listening to what others have to say is going to be just as important as being able to talk to (or at) them. Pausing for a moment or two will ensure that everyone is on the same page, allow for feedback, and provide an opportunity for questions and clarification.
Stay Consistent-A lack of consistency with communication can also present problems. It's hard to have a conversation with someone when they are all over the place. Conflicting tone of voice, body language, attitude-it can be hard to tell what it is a person is trying to tell you. It can also prevent trust from developing, which can lead to its own problems.
