- Quickdraw McLaw
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Yesterday the Las Vegas Sun included some content created and presented by Judah Zakalik of Peters and Associates on “How do I Hire a Lawyer?“.
Two questions. What do you think about advertising in the form of an article talking about hiring a lawyer? And, any commentary, critiques, or other suggestions on what people should look for when hiring an attorney in Las Vegas?
Step one, avoid attorneys who advertise, especially in really shady ways like making an advertisement seem like a news article.
Also never hire an attorney that charges an initial consultation fee
I disagree. I believe your Client needs to acknowledge that you charge for your time because time is your commodity. As a result, I always charge a nominal fee for an initial consultation.
More like never hire a client that balks at a consult fee.
$100 for an hour worth $350 is a bargain.
I disagree, especially if the attorney had to research an issue prior to the meeting.
I stopped free consultations a long time ago. If they don't value your time, they will not value your work or you. P.I. attorneys run a volume business, so it's a bit different, and the practice is run by paralegals not attorneys, so they have plenty of time to schmooze the PNC's.
Personally, I would not use an attorney that wants to charge me money without taking that 15-30 minutes to hear me out. I have no problem doing an initial consultation/meeting without taking their money.
Unless a client needs a PI attorney, they should expect to be charged a consultation fee. An attorney's time is not free (and in the case of family attorneys, a consultation is enough to create a conflict of interest for future representation).
Let's face it most lawyers spend the initial consultation doing a retainer agreement, the merits of a case are decided the first 15 minutes, then once the retainer is taken the research begins, you not pay a retainer at the car dealership you go for information and pricing if you had to pay a fee to shop you would not pay it
Uh, no. The merits of the case are something you get paid to develop and argue later. What happens in the first fifteen minutes is a low-level screening – do I know enough about this area of law, is this case likely to turn a profit for the firm, am I the third attorney because the client needs handholding but it unwilling to pay for it, etc. The rest of the consultation is where you consult with the client. And that consultation takes knowledge and experience, so it isn't free. If you want free, go chat with your ignoramus cousin Fred.
My best clients (those that will listen to reasonable advice) came through referrals. I find referred clients use Avvo, etc. to verify the quality of the recommendation.
Advertorials are not my cup of tea but I do blog so that could be interpreted as similar but under FTC blogging rules you can't conceal a motive such as advertising, not to mention bar rules.
1. This type of marketing, known as content marketing, has many advantages for the attorney, the prospective client, and the general public. Done correctly, this will help the attorney by educating prospective clients. It also communicates to the world that this attorney, who invests the resources in helping not only clients and prospective clients, but the general public (most of whom will never contact the attorney) is focused on service.
It also increases the number of referrals generated. Many clients are hesitant to tell a friend to call their attorney. Those clients are much more likely to tell a friend to look at an article or visit a blog, where he or she will get a feel for the attorney’s demeanor, approachability, experience and personality.
2. All attorneys need to be on LinkedIn. LinkedIn has over 320 million members. More and more, prospects are vetting their attorneys on LinkedIn, regardless of whether they found that attorney on AVVO, MH, through an ad or even by referral. LinkedIn users know that LinkedIn illustrates things not found elsewhere.
One example is a Las Vegas law firm practicing BK, Probate, Estate Law, PI, etc. Two of the three partners show up on LinkedIn as associates at different law firms. More importantly one of the associates is a member of only 2 LinkedIn groups; both focused on finding jobs for lawyers. What can be learned from this?
3. I know there were only 2 questions to be answered, but I must confess. I am biased. Having been a legal marketing consultant for over 20 years, and publishing blogs for lawyers and law firms in various states, including 3 of the best legal blogs in Nevada (you are likely familiar with them), I am biased by measurable results and client feedback. This feedback comes from my clients and my clients’ clients.
Since we are talking about self-promotion, what are those 3 great legal blogs?
Have no idea what blogs 12:14 is thinking about, but there are really only two legal blogs of major significance to Nevadans. This one, (and it's predecessors in subject matter WWL & LVLL) and Compelling Discovery. I'd include Randazza's blog, but although it's very good, it doesn't really have a Nevada focus. There is not a single self-promoting Nevada legal blog of significance out there, and I don't care how many posts you've ghost-written for law firms trying to be hip enough to get in on this internet blogging thing.
No one mentioned ghost writing (which is the foundation of the legal profession). I agree with Jay. Mike Mills' blogs (3 of them) are worth reading. And if you speak with Mike, he will gladly verify that he writes every word published.
1/26/15 @ 4:14 PM . . . "hip enough to get in on this internet blogging thing." LMAO!
I read Michael Mills' Insurance Law Blog http://nevadainsurancelaw.com/ and Michael Lowry's Discovery Blog http://www.compellingdiscovery.com/
12:14 spoken like a marketing consultant, and not as someone who can evaluate the quality of what sort of legal services a client might expect from the law firm.
One data point to consider, particularly if the attorney's website boasts about how "Attorney X has vast experience representing numerous clients in Y cases…" is when did the person graduate from law school. If the attorney graduated a year ago and passed the bar 6 months ago while claiming to have enormous experience, go elsewhere. I'm thinking of a person who regularly demonstrated idiocy in class who couldn't get hired by any law firm so, immediately upon passing the bar, hung out a shingle while touting his/her incredible experience. And I'm NOT saying experience necessarily = good attorney.
Jim Jimmerson's limo company hit with a $233K fine for wage and hour violations after the U.S. Department of Labor found that almost 500 employees had been shortchanged.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2015/jan/26/las-vegas-limo-company-gets-fine-cheating-workers/
Now that's how you advertise!
Jimmy Jimmerson is such a nice man!
Oops. Bet Jim Jimmerson is now sorry he gave all those donations to the local judges. That quarter million could've come in pretty handy to pay his recent fine.