Me: “I wish you had called me sooner.”
Caller: “I wish I knew you sooner.”
This was from a call I had recently with someone represented by a large advertising firm. He wasn’t happy with his representation and wanted me to take over his case. Unfortunately, it was simply too late in the process for me to get involved.
Calls like this aren’t rare.
Several times a week, we hear from people who are already represented but are frustrated because they’re getting poor service, little personal attention, can’t speak with their lawyer, their case hasn’t been properly developed, or some combination of all of the above. These calls seem to be increasing, and I suspect they’ll continue to.
It raises an important question for firms like ours: How do we help more people find us before their case is already in the ditch?
That’s one of the biggest frustrations of building a high-touch law firm. You know you could have made a difference if the client had found you sooner. But once someone has hired the wrong lawyer, there are often practical realities that make changing firms difficult, or impossible.
I don’t think this is a challenge unique to my firm. I suspect many smaller firms that prioritize quality over volume wrestle with the same question.
How do you grow your visibility enough to reach people early without sacrificing the very things that make your firm worth choosing in the first place?
I don’t think there’s a right answer. I think it’s just a constant balancing act we strive to get right.
What do you think? Join the conversation with me on LinkedIn.
