Insights for Modern Law

“You are going to feel a little poke and then you’ll have a numbing sensation in your mouth...” Can you imagine getting a filling and your dentist not telling you that? Imagine if they just sat you down and started working on your mouth. You’d probably jump out of your chair and walk out of the office. People hate going into anything blind. They like to be told what is going to happen so they can have proper expectations. This is especially true with legal matters. Although there is no physical pain like a dentist, emotions are high. People have almost always been through some type of stress or trauma to hire a lawyer. It’s important to prep your client so they know what to expect in their case. Here are some tips on educating them:

1. Have a Plan

• The most important tip, and the core of educating your clients is to have a plan. Educating your clients isn’t something that you can throw together on a whim. Be calculated about how you approach this. Coming up with a process will help you keep things organized. Map out when, where and how you will educate your clients. The attorneys that are the most successful with this prepare documents that outline the client experience. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy, a simple bulleted word document will do. This is not only important so that you don’t forget it, but it is important for your staff as well.

2. Take A Step Back

• I don’t blame any business for this issue, but sometimes we talk right over our client’s heads. After working in an industry for a significant sum of time, we forget how little people understand what we do. We end up using jargon and legalese to explain, and people don’t understand.  While preparing your plan to educate your clients, take a step back and realize that the lay man has no idea what is going to happen with their case. Analogies, stories and real world examples are crucial for educating clients with no legal experience. Make sure you account for this while making your plan.

3. Use Staff

• Educating is not the sole responsibility of the attorney! As part of your plan, you should involve others on your legal team. It is always helpful to write out as if you were giving a speech. Just like listening to a speech, no one wants to hear something that is scripted. They want to hear genuine talkings points, not something they would read in a textbook. Once again, examples, analogies and stories help the client relate to normal life and retain the information.

4. Lay a Strong Foundation

• In your initial meeting with your client, make sure to give them a healthy dose of education. The way you approach this is going to vary from firm to firm. Although it is helpful if the attorney gives them the run down, many successful firms have staff members give the initial education. It is important to remember that the lay man has no idea how a personal injury case works. Consider this teaching session the main lecture on your case. They will supplement their education throughout their experience, this is a good chance to give them a broad understanding. One of the best things about laying a good foundation is that when clients actually understand a case, they contact the lawyer less frequently throughout the course of a case. Putting in the time and effort early on, pays off for the entirety of the case. That isn’t to say that you won’t have to spend additional time later, because you absolutely will.

5. Use Technology

• Technology isn’t meant to replace personal touch or legal acumen, it is meant to supplement it. In this day and age, it’s pretty tough to get away without using it. Technology is a good tool for re-educating your clients. They will almost always forget what you have already taught them but technology can help jog their memory. It’s also helpful to get into the details at each stage of the case. Technology is ever-evolving and yesterday's tools aren’t going to cut it (Yes, that means sending email updates don’t work)

Youtube Videos

• With TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Youtube Shorts, our society has told the world that we don’t want long explanations. People want short snippets that get the point across. People don’t read news articles, they read headlines and summary bullet points. Short Youtube videos are a great way to educate you clients each step of the way (90 seconds or less).

Client Portal

• Client portals and applications update clients seamlessly with no/little effort by the staff. They can include links to videos and give short descriptions of the current phase. Client portals are helpful to the client because they are a one-stop shop for all the case information. In the past, clients would endlessly search through emails to find information on the case, now all it takes is a click into an application. Law firms and attorneys also benefit because applications deflect clients from calling the firm. Instead of calls and emails, they look to the application for the information they need.

Educating clients takes a lot of time and preparation, but there is a massive payoff. When a client feels engaged throughout the entire process of the case, they are much more likely to refer their friends and leave a great review online. Almost any lawyer is capable of achieving a good result, but the great lawyers educate their clients.

Every job has its fair share of mundane tasks. For lawyers, updating clients can be as repetitive as it gets. When starting out with your first few clients, it is a joy. It feels good to tell them the work you have done and what progress has been made. You love to see the excitement in their faces when they know a settlement is coming and reparation is around the corner. But after a while, it starts to feel like the same thing over and over. You might continue to do some of it, but more and more of it gets shuffled to your staff. Not too far down the line, you start avoiding it all together. There are many reasons to update your clients, here are a few:

Let’s start with the most important: It’s the right thing to do. Your clients, almost every one of them, has gone through a traumatic experience and you are helping them get some sort of indemnification and closure from it. Lawyers have great power in what they do. Your patients are victims and they look to you with great confidence. These clients have a child-like trust in you. What a great opportunity to help someone in need.  Giving clients updates makes them feel like you are truly their advocate.

It’s good for business. I don’t have any sort of eye popping statistic for this, but almost every law firm review on Google is regarding communication. Whether that is a 5-star review or a 1-star review. What makes or breaks clients' experience is the communication. I think more so than other business reviews matter for law firms. They matter more because the product of lawyers is communication. Use client communication and updates to make your firm stand out and to get glowing reviews and referrals.

More than ever, clients expect it. Businesses are constantly putting out content and connecting with their clients. Your email address is probably on a hundred marketing lists. Not only are businesses emailing their clients, but they are posting on their social media several times a day. If businesses can put out that much communication, why can’t their law firm contact them once a month regarding their status?

They could fire you. If society’s dating habits and career moves are any indication of loyalty, then we have none. Our culture has moved away from shaming those who don’t have loyalty. Being disloyal is almost looked at as empowering. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with this, it is just a lot different than how people used to behave a few decades ago. The internet has shown consumers that there are endless options. Other law firms are more than happy to take your client. The professional landscape has become significantly more competitive. Be aware that clients could fire you at any given time.

It’s required by law. This is one reason that people forget about, but almost all bar associations require lawyers to update their clients. Take a look at your state bar discipline incidents, you’d be shocked at how many complaints are due to communication issues. When taking a case, you never intend to ignore a client, but sometimes they get overlooked with the busyness of your work. And sometimes, you just get annoyed with clients. Some clients can’t seem to grasp the concepts you have taught them, or they didn’t listen the last time you updated them. Regardless of the reasons, it is required to update them.

The Milestones Advantage

I would never advocate for firms to solely rely on technology to update their clients. It just flat out wouldn’t work, the communication wouldn’t be effective and clients would hate it. Client portals are a great way to provide periodic updates. Some of them will be automatically triggered, some of them you will send on a “one-off” basis. In this field of work, there is no such thing as too much communication, so every additional update helps. The other hidden gem of client portal updates is the education aspect. The more opportunity you have to teach your clients, the more they will understand and grasp concepts. Simply understanding how a case works will calm their fears.

Think of a time in your life when you have had a negative experience with a business. What are the odds that you are willing to return and do business with them again? What about the odds that you would recommend that business to your friends and family?

What is Client Experience?

A client experience extends over the entire client journey with your firm. From the first moment that someone gets to your website, to the first phone call, to every email correspondence back and forth, clients are subconsciously rating their experience with your firm. Positive experiences are often overlooked, while negative experiences will never be forgotten. Taking care to ensure that your client’s experience is positive will lead to the best marketing of all; word of mouth.

Five Steps to a Better Client Experience in Your Law Firm:

1. Set Clear Expectations
2. Educate AND communicate
3. Understand their experience
4. Automate through technology
5. Be Proactive, not Reactive

Set Clear Expectations

When bringing on a new client it is crucial to set their expectations up-front. Be sure to let them know how frequently you plan on communicating with them. If it seems like their case will take a long time to settle, let them know that based on your experience, you think the duration of the case could be X amount of time. Let them know that a lot of things throughout the case are not necessarily in your control, that oftentimes you send off documents and do not get a response for weeks and months at a time. Your client should know that if any additional things are needed from them, you will reach out.

Prepare the client in a way that they do not get worried if they do not hear from you for weeks a time.

By setting clear expectations you will instill confidence in your clients that they made the right decision in hiring YOU as their attorney.

Educate AND Communicate:‍

With so much going on in the background of a legal case, communication needs to be clear and frequent. The average person knows very little about the intricacies of the law. As a legal professional, it is your responsibility to communicate with and educate the client about the process of their case. It is not simply enough to keep a client in the loop, but it is necessary for the client to actually feel like they understand what is going on in the background. Bear in mind that the legal jargon that you have picked up between law school and practicing law will often be over the head of your clients. Simplify what you communicate and seek to leave every client feeling like they truly understand what it is that you are doing for them. ‍

Understand their Experience‍

As a legal professional, you have been on the professional side of hundreds (or thousands) of legal cases. Have you ever been on the client-side of a legal matter?

Here are some of the thoughts and questions going through your client’s heads:

• What is my attorney doing?
• How long does this process take?
• Do I need to do anything additional with my case?
• What are the major milestones in my case?
• Should I reach out to my attorney and ask for a status update?
• WHERE IS MY MONEY?

It is crucial for you to take a step back and fine-tune your client engagement from the eyes of your clients. As you get a better understanding of your client's needs, you will be able to tailor your engagement with them to create the best experience possible.  ‍

Automate through Technology‍

What do you use to manage your cases and clients?

Many law firms are using some iteration of a Client Relationship Management (CRM) system to help manage their caseload. Often in the legal realm, these systems are referred to as “Case Management Systems.“ This article breaks down the features of some of the best case management systems.

With all of your cases being properly managed, legal professionals are able to automate much of the client communication. Legal client portals such as Hona are able to look for updates in your case management system, and then automatically send notifications to your clients as to what is going on in their case. Alongside these updates, clients are able to navigate through the process of their case and view educational explanations of how the case works.

In 2022, technology is allowing law firms to function more efficiently while also providing a better experience for their clients. ‍

Be Proactive, not Reactive‍

A law firm’s goal should be to beat its clients to the punch.

It is great to respond quickly to a client's email regarding the status of their case but it is better to anticipate questions and proactively keep the client in the loop.

It is important to bear in mind that just because a client has not reached out, it does not mean they feel confident about what is going on in their case. Some clients will be timider than others when it comes to asking questions and seeking information. Being proactive will please both the questioning and timid clients of your firm.

Conclusion:‍

When clients leave your law firm confident that they made the right choice, it will affect your business in more than one way. A happy client will be sure to call you the next time they have a case. That same client will energetically share the word with their friends and family that they have the best attorney in the world! Through a consistently good client experience, you will turn every client into a sales representative for your firm.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR CLIENTS AND THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

You’ve prepared for months, the case is tight, and the win is right in front of you. And then, it’s gone. Your client posts a status or photo that the defense takes and sinks everything you’ve done in less than a minute. Photos, status updates, and comments shared online can profoundly affect the trajectory of a case, painting a picture of a claimant's life that could either substantiate or undermine their claims. But consistent education and reminders for clients are hard. They take time, focus, and energy away from your efforts to build and execute your case- and that’s why Hona is here to help!  

‍The Challenge of Client Education‍

Client education is crucial, yet it presents significant challenges. Given the complexity of legal proceedings and the nuances of individual cases, explaining to clients how their actions—both offline and online—can impact their case, is no easy feat. Furthermore, the task of maintaining consistent communication to provide these necessary guidelines, while juggling various cases and responsibilities, can strain even the most organized legal professional's bandwidth.

The advent of social media has added a new layer to this educational task. In an age where people share the minutiae of their daily lives with hundreds, if not thousands of followers, it's all too easy for a client to inadvertently post something that contradicts their claims or undercuts their case.‍

Best Practices for Managing social media in Personal Injury Cases‍

Given the potential impact of social media on personal injury cases, attorneys must adopt best practices to guide their clients effectively:

1. Educate your clients: Ensure your clients understand the potential impacts of their social media activity on their case. With Hona, attorneys can share this information conveniently through the client portal.
2. Establish a clear social media policy: Outline rules for online activity during the case. This could range from deactivating social media accounts to refraining from discussing the case online.
3. Provide regular reminders: Reinforce the importance of social media caution throughout the case's duration. Hona’s portal allows for automated reminders, reducing the manual follow-up required.
4. Monitor public posts: With the client's consent, monitor their public social media posts to prevent accidental self-sabotage.
5. Encourage honesty: Stress the importance of truthful online activity. Any misleading posts that are uncovered can seriously undermine their case.‍‍‍

How Hona's Client Portal Streamlines Client Education‍

Addressing these client education challenges requires innovative solutions, which is where Hona's client portal shines. Hona simplifies and enhances the attorney-client communication process, making it easier than ever to ensure clients understand the potential impacts of their social media activity on their case.

Hona provides a dedicated platform where attorneys can efficiently share guidelines and resources about social media use and its legal implications. These resources can be accessed by clients anytime, anywhere, reinforcing crucial information without constant attorney intervention. This alleviates the pressure on attorneys to maintain a continuous stream of reminders and advice, freeing up valuable time for other case-related tasks.

Hona's client portal is designed with the end user in mind, offering a user-friendly platform that clients can navigate with ease. The portal provides a secure environment for attorneys to share case updates, documents, and educational materials, offering clients a one-stop-shop for all their case-related needs.‍

The Impact of social media on Personal Injury Claims‍

To appreciate the significance of Hona's client portal, we need to delve into the role of social media in personal injury cases. This is best illustrated through a couple of case studies.

In the case of Romano v. Steelcase Inc., the plaintiff claimed severe injuries resulting in confinement to her home and bed. However, her social media posts, including pictures depicting an active lifestyle, contradicted her claims. Consequently, the court granted the defense access to her social media records, affirming that online content can be used as evidence if it's relevant to a lawsuit.

A similar situation arose in Largent v. Reed, where the plaintiff's Facebook posts were used as evidence that her injuries were not as severe as she claimed, leading to a ruling that set a precedent: there is no confidentiality for information posted on social networking sites.

These cases illustrate how social media has become a powerful tool for evidence gathering in personal injury cases, underlining the need for clients to be mindful of their online activity. And here's where Hona's client portal comes into play, providing an efficient platform to impart this essential knowledge to clients.‍

Final Thoughts‍

In today’s digital era, ignoring the impact of social media on personal injury law is no longer an option. By understanding the significant role these platforms play and leveraging tools like Hona's client portal, law firms can safeguard their clients’ interests while enhancing the overall client experience.

By implementing a streamlined process for client education, Hona's client portal allows legal professionals to focus more on the intricacies of the case at hand, and less on the logistics of communication. This not only leads to more successful case outcomes but also fosters stronger attorney-client relationships, marking a significant step forward for law practices in the digital age.

Growing a successful law firm requires more than just the legal expertise you and your team bring with you from law school. In fact, soft skills in the workplace are just as valuable to the well-being of your practice.

The following four skills are especially significant as you grow and maintain your firm.‍

Passion‍

No matter how long you have been practicing law, you are well aware of the time and energy that working in this field demands.

Long hours in the office, focused critical thinking, and copious amounts of stress are not for everyone. Maybe you have even questioned what led you to this line of work.

And that’s where passion comes in.

For some, that passion lies in the unique opportunity to serve others and further public good in their communities. For others, it may be the intellectual challenge that each day presents.

Wherever you find yourself, work will always be crummy if you don’t have a clear purpose in mind for why you do what you do. Frequently revisiting your “why” for practicing law can be energizing and inspiring to not only you, but your entire legal staff.‍

Adaptability‍

One of the inevitable truths of working in the legal atmosphere is that things are ever-changing. From the laws themselves to best practices and technology, what was true yesterday might not be true today. Clients want to work with law firms that stay up-to-date. One way attorneys can do this is by attending legal conferences.

Adaptability and resilience go hand in hand. Challenges are sure to present themselves in the everyday pace of practicing law. However, the way you react to these changes will determine how successful your firm is amongst competitors.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic is a timely example. Along with many other types of businesses, law firms saw the opportunity to go digital and continue to provide their services amidst the uncertainty of the spreading virus.

Firms who made the most of these unforeseen circumstances found similar, if not more, success across various facets of their firm. Areas such as client in-take, case management and client updates and communication continue to see increased efficiency and greater long-term sustainability with the aid of technology brought about by the pandemic.‍

Focus‍

While it is not unique to law firms only, being able to concentrate on the task at hand is absolutely vital as an attorney or member of a legal staff.

I get it, a typical day in the office is chock full of less than exciting tasks. It might seem monotonous to read through loads of paperwork and email after email, but attention to detail could be the difference between winning your client’s case and them walking away with nothing.

Each case deserves your undivided attention when you sit down to work on it. After all, these people have entrusted an extremely vulnerable portion of their life to your care.‍

Work Ethic‍

You are well aware of the importance of this skill because, well, you didn’t just become a lawyer overnight.

Fighting legal battles takes time and persistence, and is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Having an intrinsic desire to put forth your best effort every time you enter the office is the first step to a productive day. The lawyers who prosper in their career have surely mastered this principle.

Something to consider: Productivity does not mean burn-out.

It is so easy for lawyers to become overwhelmed, yet disguise it as “hard work.” The truth is you can run a successful firm while still maintaining a balance in your work life.

Plan out your day and devote appropriate time to each task that needs to be done. Factor in time for a few breaks, and delegate tasks as needed. ‍

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Combining your legal expertise with these four invaluable skills will prepare you for any challenge that awaits you. Bolster your business by sharpening these abilities at every opportunity you get.

“You never get a second chance to make a good impression.” This age-old axiom rings true for every law firm trying to acquire new clients. You truly have one shot to try and capture the attention of your prospective clients.

Unlike other businesses, you are delivering an experience, not a product. Because you aren’t selling something tangible, your firm needs the tools to speak for itself. One of those tools is your set of communication skills.

In a survey of the online reviews from 12 firms across the Western United States, 44% of the reviews directly highlighted communication as one of the most meaningful skills a firm could have in creating a positive experience for clients.

Next to the obvious desire for a fair settlement, clients want to feel a part of the process. This primarily comes through clear, consistent and proactive communication.

Let’s take a closer look.‍

Clear Communication‍

Seems simple enough, right? Turns out, impressing your clients isn’t so hard after all.

Reviews across all firms highlighted the importance of clear communication.

There is a reason your client hired you to take their case: you have legal expertise that they don’t! That means they won’t understand half of the words that get thrown around in your office.

When communicating with clients, park your legal jargon at the door, and give them the comfort that comes with simplified understanding.

Meeting clients on their level will build trust and foster an environment where they feel that they are secure and in good hands.

In the eyes of your clients, clear communication also involves the expectations you set up front regarding the behind-the-scenes of their case. A heaping 80% of consumers reported clear communication of next steps as an essential factor when evaluating a firm’s trustworthiness.

Striving for clarity in all forms of communication will ultimately boost the reliability of your firm and generate more positive experiences for your clientele. ‍

Consistency‍

You may have been able to wow clients with your investment in their case upon the first consultation, but do your actions reflect that same investment as the case progresses?

A closer look at reviews shows that consistency is almost as important as the communication itself.

Nearly half of the reviews commented on communication skills from the 12 firms surveyed. Each of these reviews mentioned how they were kept in the loop throughout the duration of their case instead of only receiving an update here and there.

It is no secret that legal work takes time. Lucky for you, time is your friend when it comes to proving your dependability.

Each time there is an update in the case, you have the opportunity to showcase consistent care and concern for the well being of your client’s legal predicament.

‍Proactive Communication‍

Who says you have to wait for clients to contact you first? No one.

Think of the last time someone did something for you without asking. Maybe it was a household chore, or a coworker who bought you lunch. It doesn’t matter the scenario-we all know how good it feels for someone to take initiative to lessen our load.

Your clients are the same way. They likely are busy people (just like you) with schedules that are not conducive to calling your office every week looking for a case update.

So, beat your clients to the punch with proactive communication.

Notify clients when there will be longer stretches of time in a particular phase. Teach them what is happening and how long certain tasks might take. Provide answers to frequently asked questions on your website or on automated update software like Milestones.

Whatever you do, reminding clients of your presence and the investment you have in their case is sure to be an unforgettable experience that they will talk about for years to come.

‍Conclusion

‍Across the same survey of reviews between the 12 firms, each firm averaged 4.88 stars on their Google reviews. It’s no surprise that almost half of the clients leaving these reviews raved about communication skills.

Additionally, every business has KPI's (key performance indicators). A huge indicator of communication performance is how many of your reviews tout your clarity, consistency and proactivity of communication.

It is evident that we are discussing more than just updating our customers. Rather, communication is ensuring clients that they can trust you in both word and deed. Confidence between firm and client is fostered as you follow these simple suggestions to fine tune communication skills within your firm.
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Survey Results:

• 12 randomly selected Personal Injury law firms across the Western United States were surveyed. The Google reviews were examined and searched for the impacts of communication on client relations with each firm.
• To keep their confidentiality, the names of the firms are not disclosed.
• 18/30 reviews (60%) about responsiveness and communication. Overall rating of 5 stars.
• 23/64 reviews (35.9%) about responsiveness and communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 18/29 reviews (62%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.6 stars.
• 25/77 reviews (32.46%) about communication. Overall rating of 5 stars.
• 10/26 reviews (38.46%) about communication. Overall rating of 5 stars.
• 17/43 reviews (39.53%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 129/339 reviews (38%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 8/30 reviews (26.67%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.8 stars.
• 11/16 reviews (68.75%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 14/38 reviews (36.8%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 10/24 reviews (41.67%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.9 stars.
• 12/26 reviews (46.15%) about communication. Overall rating of 4.8 stars.