Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Listening to the Client: Where Do We Stand?

Face-to-face meetings are best. Client presentations. End-of-matter calls or questionnaires.

Bottom Line

An unwillingness to engage in these conversations is, at best, irrational and, at worst, fatal.
  • “We use firm X more than the firm you are representing because they put their associates more front and center.”
  • “We are planning to shift [a significant amount] of our work to a different firm because the partner that would be assigned to do the work [by the relationship partner] does not have positive chemistry with our team.”“We will have $400k of new patent work next year, but we will not give that work to [primary lawyer] because he is so busy, we are worried about his health. We are concerned that the additional work might give him a heart attack.” (I will never forget an interview about 20 years ago with one of a firm's most significant clients. The general counsel had great things to say about the lawyers, but then said: “But if they don't get more [expletive] fax machines, we will fire the firm ….” [Yes, the firm added fax machines.])
  • “I use firm X more than [the firm I was representing] for private equity deals because they get it done with one partner and an associate or two, not a team of five or six.”
  • “We would give them more work if they would just make an effort to develop a budget at the beginning of new matters.”
  • Finally, my favorite comment that I have heard many times at the end of an interview: “Thanks for visiting, I can't believe more firms don't do this.”
Jim Durham The Essential Little Book of Great Lawyering The Essential Little Book of Service Excellence

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

Beach Boys Songs Written Decades Ago Triggered Current Quarrel With Lawyers Image

There's current litigation in the ongoing Beach Boys litigation saga. A lawsuit filed in 2019 against Nevada residents Mike Love and his wife Jacquelyne in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada that alleges inaccurate payment by the Loves under the retainer agreement and seeks $84.5 million in damages.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Transfer Tax Implications on Real Property Leases Image

The real property transfer tax does not apply to all leases, and understanding the tax rules of the applicable jurisdiction can allow parties to plan ahead to avoid unnecessary tax liability.