Not a buffer - a contact for a client to call when they *don’t* want to call the lawyer. We all know that people avoid conflict..this is a ’safety valve’ that allows the client to raise issues that are troubling them without having to confront the lawyer (who *may* be the source of the problem!). This is a safe way to build trust with the client that avoids the lawyer having to lose face or worse, get into a negative exchange with the client. We have seen the growth of ‘ombudsmen’ in other areas - allowing people to raise issues and concerns that they have with an organization in a trusted way. This is a similar concept.

Cheers and thanks,

Dave

Take care-

Barb Cotton

I agree totally on the fact that this would *initially* be a hard sell to partners…but remember that so was bringing in professional law firm management and a host of other ideas that are *now* taken for granted - such as lawyers being able to advertise.

At some level, change involves challenging some long-standing belief or beliefs. A client concierge challenges the assumption that only a lawyer is responsible for keeping the client happy. As we all know, it is usually a legal assistant who is the grease on the wheel - ensuring that the client can call someone and be able to raise issues, concerns etc. A client concierge would formalize this relationship and make the implicit - explicit.

Furthermore, a client concierge would necessarily have to be part of the ‘team’ - but could deliver a *great* deal more client-focused attention at a much lower cost that lawyers.

This is a win-win..the firm wins from the greater needs fulfillment, the firm wins from having a happier client and presumably the bottom-line wins from receiving more work - simply due to the fact that the client is happier with the law firm-client relationship. We all know those studies that say for client-retention we have to exceed the expectations of the clients..not just fulfill them. Who couldn’t use a client who speaks well of their law firm?

I agree with you about the non-lawyer contact information not being found on legal websites. How many times have you gone to a site trying to find a legal assistant or someone on the management team? This illustrates exactly my point..that law firms have this assumption that *only* the lawyers contact the clients! Time for a change….

Cheers,

Dave

That is an interesting idea. The problem is finding the right skill set. I am not sure that marketing is the right place.

First, the client may be coming with legal questions and you would need some legal analysis to push things in the right direction.

Second, I think most clients would want some more personalized service, rather than a generic concierge to take their calls. Lots of attorney/client relationship is based on the personal connection between the parties.

Third, I think that is a hard sell to partners who would not want that personal relationship interfered with.

That being said, I think it is important to put together a multi-disciplinary team to address the client needs for legal services and the service around those legal service.

Part of that is giving the client some insight into the firm. What other services can the firm deliver? Who are the non-attorneys in the firm who can help meet the client needs?

Case in point, how many law firms publish non-lawyer contact information on their websites?