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March 25, 2015
There's a Legislative History of the 12 Rules of Client Service?
Of sorts, yes. Originally there were 14 rules.
We've mentioned often since publishing them nine years ago that this blog's 12 Rules of Client Service sprang from the "How To Practice Law" section of Hull McGuire PC's Practice Guide, a 35 page booklet written in 2000 for associates and paralegals that we revised frequently through 2004. In fact, the single paragraph introducing the Rules on April 3, 2006 cites this dubious and certainly mysterious authority up front.
Beginning November 19, 2005, I set out to write a rule-by-rule "12-Step" program for lawyers, professionals and executives. The rules were derived from the "How To Practice Law" section of our firm's Practice Guide, written for associates and paralegals in 2000. Well, they are finally completed. The goal of the "What About Clients?" 12 rules is to align the interests of clients/customers and service providers to the fullest extent possible. The rules are not perfect, and can be improved. But this model works--if you work at it. If you follow these rules by building a disciplined culture at your shop where they are enforced and kept alive, your clients and firm both benefit as you go along. You'll see repeat business. You'll make money. Think of the rules as clientwork.
The current 12 rules, each with a link to an explanatory note about the rule, followed the above paragraph.
But the rules on which they were based appeared in our June 2004 edition of the Practice Guide:
A. General Black Letter Principles for Lawyering
1. Be Client-oriented. Clients are everything. You are always practicing law and marketing at the same time. Be constantly available. Return calls quickly. Bombard the client and the lawyer with whom you are working with your written work product.
2. Be overly-communicative about the status of your work for clients with both clients and other lawyers (inside and outside HMPC) with whom you are working.
3. There should be two (2) lawyers on each project, no matter how small.
"The Lawyers", circa 1855, Honoré Daumier (1808-1879)
4. Plan your work on all levels. Anticipate issues and problems - both legal and practical - down the road.
5. Each project is different. There is no "cookie cutter" work; there are no really critical forms to follow.
6. Practice giving solutions and recommendations to other lawyers and to the client. Don't just identify problems.
7. Be complete but not perfect.
8. Be very careful when you are tired or unusually busy.
9. Timesheets should be overly-detailed and reflect effort and value.
10. Proofread.
11. Try to have fun.
12. Follow Up. No Loose Ends.
13. Watch expenses and costs for both the firm and the clients. Develop business sense. See the project from a cost-benefit analysis.
14. Try to treat co-workers as if they are your best client.
Posted by JD Hull at March 25, 2015 07:09 AM