Innovative Legal Service Applications : A Guide to Improved Client Services / Lawrence S. Pascoe.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pascoe, Lawrence S., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Practice of law.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (293 pages)

Edition:

;2022-08.

Place of Publication:

Cleveland : American Bar Association, 2022.

Chicago, Illinois : American Bar Association, [2022]

Summary:

"This book is about how lawyers can specifically improve their service to clients which will obtain more business. Besides providing numerous specific innovative legal service applications, this book will discuss the theories and actions to create, implement and evaluate innovative legal service applications. This book will provide a jump start for lawyers to enhance their service to clients by suggesting numerous innovative legal service applications. This book does not just say to listen to your clients and give them what they want. Instead, it will provide applications that lawyers can immediately utilize to improve their quality of service to their clients"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Contents

Part 1: Introduction

Chapter 1: Opening Remarks

1.1: Why Should Lawyers Read This Book?

1.2: What Is an Innovative Legal Service Application?

1.3: What Are the Topics Covered in This Book?

1.4: In What Order Can This Book Be Read?

1.5: Who Is Lawrence S. Pascoe, and What Is This Book Based On?

1.6: What Is the Writing Style of This Book?

1.7: Who Should Read This Book?

1.8: Why Have Lawyers Not Evolved?

1.9: Conclusion to This Chapter

Part 2: Benefits and Elements of Innovative Legal Service Applications

Chapter 2: Benefits of Using Innovative Legal Service Applications

2.1: Reduced Malpractice Claims

2.2: Reduced Client Complaints

2.3: Improved Marketing

2.4: Clients Can Judge Service Better than They Can Judge Legal Skills

2.5: Creativity, Satisfaction, and Fun

2.6: A Matter of Survival

2.7: Being a Happy Lawyer

2.8: The Untapped Legal Services Market

Chapter 3: Some Fundamental Elements of Legal Service Applications

3.1: Client Needs

3.1.1: Clients Want to Be Confident That Their Lawyers Are Very Competent

3.1.2: Clients Want Their Lawyers to Be Empathetic

3.1.3: Clients Want Good, Timely, and Understandable Communications with Their Lawyers

3.1.4: Clients Want to Know What Their Costs Will Be

3.1.5: Clients Want to Know the Timing of Their Matter and Want It Completed Quickly

3.1.6: Clients Want Their Tasks to Be Easy to Do

3.1.7: Clients Want to Understand the Substantive Law and Legal Process

3.1.8: Clients Want Their Service Personalized Based on Their Preferences

3.1.9: Clients Want to Participate in the Process

3.2: Recommended Lawyer Actions.

3.2.1: Lawyers Should Recognize That What Is Important to Lawyers May Not Be Important to Clients and What Is Important to Clients May Not Be Important to Lawyers

3.2.2: Lawyers Should Use All Three Time Periods (Before, During, and After Being Retained) to Provide Service to Their Clients

3.2.3: Lawyers Should Use Available Legal Software

3.2.4: Lawyers Should Use General Software

3.2.5: Lawyers Should Indulge Clients but Give Realistic Expectations

3.2.6: Lawyers Should Provide Information about Nonlegal-Related Resources

3.2.7: Lawyers Should Create Moments of Exceptional Service

3.2.8: Lawyers Should Have Some Physical Aspects in Their Applications

3.2.9: Lawyers Should Use Humor to Put Clients at Ease

3.2.10: Lawyers Should Recognize That Most Clients Are First-Time Users of Legal Services

3.2.11: Lawyers Should Show Appreciation to Clients and Others Who Refer Clients to Them

3.2.12: Lawyers Should Always Remember What Business They Are In

3.2.13: Lawyers Should Ensure Clients Use the Service Applications

Part 3: Innovative Legal Service Applications

Chapter 4: Innovative Legal Service Applications

4.1: Client Manuals

4.1.1: The Manuals' Purposes

4.1.2: Organization and Contents of the Manuals

4.1.3: Keeping the Manuals up to Date

4.1.4: Why the Client Manuals Are So Important

4.1.5: Electronic Version of the Manual

4.2: Law Firm Websites

4.2.1: Why the Law Firm Website Is So Important

4.2.2: Why Lawyers Should Provide Free Information on Their Websites

4.2.3: What Information about the Lawyer Should Be Posted on the Website?

4.2.4: How Should a Website Be Organized?

4.2.5: What Content Should Be On the Website?

Law Drop-Down Menu

Process Drop-Down Menu

Fees and Questionnaires Drop-Down Menu

Resource Drop-Down Menu

First-Time Client Drop-Down Menu.

4.2.6: Forms and Questionnaires

4.2.7: Videos

4.2.8: Resource Pages

4.2.9: Third-Period Uses of Websites

4.2.10: Making Appointments

4.2.11: Promoting Clients

4.2.12: A Legal Quiz and Other Uses for Lawyers' Websites

4.2.13: Conclusion about Websites

4.3: The Client Monitor

4.4: The First Consultation Slideshow

4.5: Client Questionnaires and Forms

4.5.1: Client Intake Forms

4.5.2: Client Information Questionnaires

4.5.3: Client Preferences Questionnaires

4.5.4: Lawyer and Staff Performance Questionnaires

4.5.5: Marketing Questionnaires

4.5.6: Survey Contest

4.5.7: Change of Information Form

4.5.8: Getting Clients to Fill Out Questionnaires

4.5.9: Conclusion about Questionnaires and Forms

4.6: First Appointment Confirmation Letter

4.7: Appointment Letters for Subsequent Appointments and Reminders

4.8: Consultation and Telephone Notes and Agendas

4.9: To-Do and Document Lists

4.10: Calculation of Estimated Costs Forms

4.11: Client-Helpful Word Processing Software Features

4.12: Articles for Clients

4.12.1: Substantive Law Articles

4.12.2: Definitions and Annotations

4.12.3: Legal Process Articles

4.12.4: Law Firm Procedures Article and New Client Memorandum

4.12.5: Client-Lawyer Relationship and Client Expectation Articles

4.12.6: How-to Articles

4.12.7: Legal Fees and Billing

4.12.8: Articles Written by Other Local Related Service Providers

4.12.9: After the Fact, Third-Period Articles

4.12.10: Promotional but Informational Articles: Why Use a Lawyer?

4.12.11: Format and Writing Style of Articles

4.12.12: Making Sure Clients Read the Articles and Reporting Letters

4.13: Legal Fees

4.13.1: The Different Methods of Determining Lawyers' Fees

The Hourly Rate (Billable Hour) Method

The Fixed Fee Method

The Contingency Fee Method.

The Combination and Variations Methods

4.13.2: Estimating Fees When Using the Hourly Rate Method

4.13.3: Discussing Fees with Clients

4.13.4: Ensure Getting Paid, and How Clients Can Pay Accounts

4.13.5: Tax Deductibility of Certain Legal Fees

4.13.6: Retainers

4.13.7: Unbundled Legal Services

4.14: Follow-up Legal Services: Free or Reduced Fees

4.15: Letters to Affected Nonclients

4.16: Following Up with Clients after the File Is Closed

4.17: Providing Clients Resource Information

4.18: Reporting Letters

4.19: Social Media

4.20: Client Newsletters

4.21: Radio and Television Advertising

4.22: Radio, Television, and Public Speaking Appearances

4.23: Physical Applications

4.23.1: Three-Hole Punch

4.23.2: Business Cards

4.24: Proper Thank-Yous to Referral Sources

4.25: Legal Software Programs

4.26: Decision Making and Formula for Determining Whether to Settle

4.27: Communications

4.27.1: Checking in with Clients

4.27.2: Automatically Sending Copies of Received and Sent Correspondence to Clients

4.27.3: Providing Clients with Copies of Court Arguments

4.27.4: Detailed Voicemail Messages

4.27.5: Virtual Consultations and Phone Calls

4.27.6: Telephone Calling Policies

4.27.7: Dictating Letters to Spouses or Their Lawyers in Front of Clients

4.27.8: Client Portal on the Cloud

4.28: Flowcharts

4.29: Inventing New Processes

4.30: Other Applications

4.30.1: Safekeeping of Client Documents and Assets

4.30.2: Storing Clients' Completed Files

4.30.3: Discounts with Non-related Businesses and Free Parking

4.30.4: Hours of Service

4.30.5: Sales

4.31: Legal Service Applications for Specific Practice Areas

Chapter 5: Family Law Service Applications

5.1.: The Family Law Client Manual

5.1.1: The Purpose of the Family Client Law Manual.

5.1.2: Organization and Contents of the Family Law Client Manual

5.1.3: Keeping the Family Law Client Manual up to Date

5.1.4: Importance of the Family Law Client Manual

5.2: Family Law Sections of the Website

5.2.1: Importance of the Family Law Section of the Website

5.2.4: Organization of the Family Law Section of the Website

5.2.5: Contents of the Family Law Section of the Website

5.2.9: Third-Period Uses of the Family Law Section of the Website

5.3: The Client Monitor for Family Law

5.4: The Family Law First Consultation Slideshow

5.5: Family Law Client Questionnaires and Forms

5.5.1: Matrimonial Client Intake Forms

5.5.2: The Matrimonial Client Information Questionnaires

5.5.3: Family Law Client Preference Questionnaire

5.5.4: Lawyer and Staff and Performance Questionnaire

5.6: Family Law First Appointment Confirmation Letter

5.7: Subsequent Appointment Letters and Agendas for Family Law Clients

5.8: Lawyer's Notes for Consultations and Telephone Calls for Family Law Clients

5.9: Family Law To-Do Lists and Document Lists

5.10: Calculation of Fees Forms for Family Law Clients

5.11: Client-Helpful Word Processing Software Features

5.12: Articles for Family Law Clients

5.12.1: Substantive Law Articles for Family Law Clients

5.12.2: Definitions and Annotations

5.12.3: Legal Process Articles for Family Law Clients

5.12.4: Law Firm Procedure Articles

5.12.5: Client-Lawyer Relationship and Client Expectations Articles in Family Law

5.12.6: How-to Articles

5.12.7: Legal Fees and Billing Articles

5.12.8: Articles about Related Issues Written by Others

5.12.9: After the File Is Closed Articles for Family Law

5.12.10: Promotional and Informational Articles for Family Law

5.13: Legal Fees in Family Law Matters

5.13.1: Estimate of Fees.

5.13.2: Tax Deductibility of Certain Legal Fees.

Notes:

Includes index.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Pascoe, Lawrence S. Innovative Legal Service Applications

ISBN:

1-63905-106-6