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Unwashed Advocate Blog Presents 'Client Intake 101'
Via Simple Justice I came upon a great post from Eric Mayer on his Unwashed Advocate blog. Mayer proposes a 22-class law school course that will teach students about the practice of law -- "not just the practice of law, but the most vexing, infuriating, bad-time-consuming part of practicing law. That is potential client evaluation and intake," he says.
My favorite part of the course is lessons 8 through 13, which are designed to help fledgling lawyers tell the difference between the six different types of clients that may someday walk through the door. These include:
8. Potential Clients 1: Those who know they need a lawyer, know the value of a lawyer, and were referred to you. (Happy, feel-good class day)
9. Potential Clients 2: Those who found you because of your website. (Also known as Jekyll and Hyde day)
10. Potential Clients 3: Those who found you through Avvo. (Purchase a gas mask day)
11. Potential Clients 4: Those who found you because god led them to you. (Purchase a gun day (or Hire a Bodyguard day, if you're particularly offended by firearms references))
12. Potential Clients 5: Those who immediately say that their case will make you rich and famous. (Run the other way day)
13. Potential Clients 6: Those whose cases will really make you famous, but not necessarily rich. (Run the other way fast while wearing a gas mask day)
Mayer's proposed course hits on several other important principles, including standing firm on fees ("you are not a flea market"); managing the fact that "wives hate lawyers;" and assessing the "neediness" factor of a potential client (which I believe would be quite useful for avoiding an attorney-client relationship with any Stage 5 clingers).
Read Mayer's whole syllabus here.
Posted by Bruce Carton on January 8, 2013 at 04:18 PM | Permalink
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