Principles of Practice – David Dunn Law Offices, PC

PRINCIPLES OF PRACTICE: DAVID LAW OFFICES, PC

Determine where clients came from. Clients hire an attorney based on the Three-C’s and the X-Factor:
- Compassion;
- Competence,
- Cost; and
- Experience.
- We offer all of these.
Compassion. Demonstrate compassion for the client.
- Lawyers are not just shufflers of paper, jot just “mouthpieces.”
- A Lawyer serves the client best ..
  - Who cares about the result for the client; and
  - Who cares about the impact of the case upon the client.
- Clients are intuitively aware of the level of compassion.
- The level of compassion on the part of the lawyer is the NUMBER ONE reason for clients to select one lawyer over another.
Competence. Commit to excellence.
- Never settle for your own second best effort. Never tolerate any but the best effort from your staff.
- Read, write, and learn, every day.
- Lecture to the bar to keep current yourself. Competence is the NUMBER TWO reason people hire a lawyer.
Cost. Work in the manner of a college financial aid officer. Make the product affordable for the client.
- The client who asks “How much for this or that service?” is asking the wrong question.
- The art form is to shift the question around within 30 seconds or so on the phone or in person.
  - Demonstrate your compassion.
  - Convince the client that you are the competent one to hire, and
- Then quote a fee that is clearly reasonable to a prospect who has probably already shopped the price.
- Cost is the NUMBER THREE reason people hire a lawyer
The X-Factor. The “X-Factor” in why people should hire us as attorneys is experience. Market these facts:
- That we have been admitted to the bar for 47+ years,
  - and
- That our independent practice was established in 1971.
Specialize. Limit cases taken to
- Bankruptcies
- Foreclosures
- Tax Problems
- Wills
- Business Law
- Related Litigation
People. Treat people right.
- Treat clients like customers.
- Treat support staff like colleagues, not lackeys.
- Be civil to other attorneys, especially the ones who don’t particularly deserve it.
Service. Build the practice by service to the bar and to the community.
- Don’t announce yourself as a lawyer for hire.
- Just ask how you can be of help.
- The law business part will take care of itself in the fullness of time.
Boldness. In each case, insist that the client think strategically, to determine where the client wants to be at the end of the day.
- The imprecation: “Sue the bastards!” may relieve momentary client stress.
- However, require the client, up front in each case, to decide what his or her goals are for the end of the case.
- Attack. Always look for the attacking possibilities.
- Never enter a case assuming a bad result.
- Never take counsel of your fears.
- Let the fear of failure be the nemesis of the opposition.
Technology. Modernize. Update. Stay ahead of the technology curve if possible.
- Use modern office systems.
- Retain a competitive edge, even against a larger firms, by the effective use of computer technology.
- Make friends with the Internet and Social Media
- Hire a child to teach you how to use the stuff.
Balance. Live in balance.
- Take time to smell the flowers.
- Take time to weed the flowerbed, so there are flowers to smell.
- Make time to study.
- Work hard when you work.
- Play with a purpose when you play.
Goals. Develop and achieve realistic goals based on these principles of practice.
Cash Up Front. Insist on a retainer in advance.
- The client who cannot or will not invest in his or her own cause is
- The same client with whom there is a fee dispute at the end of the case.
Execute. Develop and execute a business, marketing and strategic plan, grounded upon these principle and upon my goals.
January 2017