Peek into any firm’s literature and you’re pretty much guaranteed to find that golden phrase…”Client Focused”. But it is and are you?

Firstly, what does it acutally mean. The ever engaging JD Hull at ‘What About Clients?’ regularly ruminates on the topic and considers: “Are lawyers just kidding themselves about delivering true service to clients?” Amongst his myriad of musings there is this, The 7 Habits of Highly Useless Corporate Lawyers, here are 1 to 6 (7 only applies if you have a Green Card):

1. Be risk-averse at all times. Clients have come to expect this from their lawyers. It’s tradition. Honor it.

2. Tell the client only what it can’t do. Business clients are run by business people who take risks. They need to be managed, guided, stopped. Don’t encourage them.

3. Whatever you do, don’t take a stand, and don’t make a recommendation. (You don’t want to be wrong, do you?)

4. Treat the client as a potential adversary at all times. Keep a distance.

5. Cover yourself. Write a lot to the client. Craft lots of confirming letters which use clauses like “it is our understanding”, “our analysis is limited to…” and “we do not express an opinion as to whether…”

6. Churn up extra fees with extra letters and memoranda and tasks. Milk the engagement. (If you are going to be a weenie anyway, you might as well be a sneaky weenie.)

Funny or true or both? For more ideas and news on servicing business clients as valued customers visit What About Clients?