- Quickdraw McLaw
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One of our readers, who is not a lawyer, but still reads the blog daily wants your input on the following:
I work at a small, but exceptional, litigation support company. I would like to know what is a good way to reach more lawyers and make them aware of the services we provide. Lawyers are extremely busy and dropping in on them unannounced is not acceptable.So, from a lawyer’s standpoint, what is the best approach?
What say ye? And while you’re at it, any other advice or tips for legal industry vendors?
Bring me food. Bring me candies. Bring me delicious donuts. Bring me things of value. That will get my attention. But then again, I am easy to please
Word of mouth works best. Do really good work and lawyers will talk to each other. I am turned off by companies that try to drum up business by providing snacks and the like. It makes me think that their work product is not good enough such that they have to rely on bribes.
Offer lap dances.
Service service service.
be available for after hours contact, be responsive, be able to turn things around on a tight deadline, and have a can-do attitude if I have last minute changes. If you can provide this level of service with competitive prices, I'll use you every time. Most vendor issues occur when A) it is difficult to get last minute, or rush, changes, or B) your prices don't take into account the buyer's market.
Don't charge as much or more as we do per hour. Don't charge me $4 per page for a transcript then take one page, cut it into four smaller pages and claim it's four pages for $16.
The way vendors always get into our office is by calling our assistants/staff and offering a free lunch with a presentation. It doesn't ensure I'll be there, but my staff will let me know if they like you.
DING DING DING!!!! If my staff likes you and you provide a service I need, I'll probably hire you.
I agree with this. It seems like every time we needed a vendor, one of the paralegals would say "oh, we could call XYZ," and even though I had never heard of XYZ I'd say "sure sign them up."
You got it! Secretaries pick the outside copy firms, the process servers, the runners and the Court Reporters. The only way I know if there is a problem is if they tell me there is a problem and that they want to switch.
As a former assistant/future attorney, 9:02, :10, and :17 speak the truth as to how to sometimes get in the door. How to keep my business is do good work, have good service, don't be ridiculous on pricing, and dont' f- up. If you f-up, you better make it right and you better own the error. Been referring all my lit production needs to Quivx for almost a decade, through 1+ firms, because of Jon's service. Now that he's formed Halo Discovery, that's where I will be taking my business. While with Quivx I was never bought with anything except his customer service, but they were always great at sponsoring efforts to further legal asst./paralegals education and that was the way to get a foot in the door me. Sorry- that's a bit stream of thought- I need coffee.
its all about service. I went to Holo b/c of Jon as well. but whatever you do, don't send me an email telling me "i know you are busy, but can I have 15 minutes to talk about x ?" and then sending 5 more emails that say " "i have not heard from you when can we discuss X?"
Just wanted to let the blog know that Joe Schrage of McDonald, Carano & Wilson passed Sunday night/Monday morning. He was in his mid-30's and left behind a young family.
Oh my God, that's awful. Was it sudden or had he been ill?
It was sudden. He was very athletic/competitive/hilarious. Complained of fairly minor chest pains before going to bed…
Joe was a nice guy and a great attorney. RIP.
This profession. I don't know the guy, but my condolences. Sad to lose someone so young, sad to lose someone that colleagues had high regard for.
My condolences to his family. Another reminder to make every minute count.
My condolences. RIP.
Mid 30s, very athletic, and heart attack? Shit. I'm mid-30s, and I'm none of those.
I'm a friend of Joe's from law school. If you're interested in supporting his family or attending his services, there's a Google Doc set up to keep folks informed. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tGECu4N93WbjFqWgpDMBdIc4oYUTUYZXOVbZRZfL9ws/edit?usp=sharing
I'm a friend of Joe's from law school. If you're interested in supporting his family or attending his services, there's a Google Doc set up to keep folks informed. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tGECu4N93WbjFqWgpDMBdIc4oYUTUYZXOVbZRZfL9ws/edit?usp=sharing
Stay away from spammy e-mails. I can tell you for sure that those do not work. I delete four or five of them every day. Paralegals are more in touch with the nuts and bolts of what is working for them vs. what their needs are when it comes to support issues, so definitely cultivate those relationships. Attend social events, get a booth at conventions, etc., but keep it low-pressure.
I've been getting the following spammy emails REPEATEDLY, anyone else? They bug the hell out of me because this guy acts like I know him and that I've got some kind of duty to connect with him. I've never spoken with him.
The only way to drum up business in any line of work is to establish real relationships of trust. You can't do that through the dumb email below.
—–Original Message—–
From: [Litigation Support Salesperson]
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2016
To: [Lawyer]
Subject: Follow up
Hi [Lawyer First Name],
I never heard back from you last week. If it makes sense to talk, please reply to this email so I can send you some additional information. If you’re not the appropriate person, could you point me in the right direction?
[Litigation support company] specializes in full litigation support and services for the Las Vegas Valley.
Sincerely,
[Salesperson Name]
[Title]
[Email]
[Phone number]
[website]
QUIVX.
LOL. I got the same one yesterday.
Yep. QUIVX. Screw you and the spam you came in on, Chris Montgomery, Director of Sales.
Yuuuup. After the heart and soul of Quivx left, CM has been spammy.
"Lawyers are extremely busy and dropping in on them unannounced is not acceptable. So, from a lawyer’s standpoint, what is the best approach?"
Well, if you're visiting the Pengilly Law Firm, the best approach is to arrive well-armed.
Holy hell I hate family law
https://youtu.be/zdMg5wI70Yg
Honestly, I have to agree with Abrams, I think the judge was out of line. How you going to sit up there and accuse her of multiple ethical violations in the present case and prior cases? You better back that shit up, robe or no. I agree with you about family law, I do crim and wouldn't even head over to that building. That shit about Schneider was hilarious though.
Did the fact that the Video was posted by he who shall not be named get noticed?
The judge ordered the courtroom closed. Doesn't that mean that the video should not be public?
I agree with 2:06. I do criminal exclusively and my loathing for the family courts extends to many family law practitioners by association. But I agree that Jennifer Abrams handled herself quite well in a very shitty situation – on point, assertive but not cunty even when she had a right to be. At the end of the day, she turned it around, punked the judge, but never lost her temper.
God forbid I ever find myself in family court – I seriously think I'd rather be charged with something – but if so, I'd hire her.
There are a limited number of what I would call top tier attorneys that regularly practice in Family Court. Abrams has earned her place among that group and is one tough cookie when she needs to be.
Handling CAP cases has taught me one thing about family law: y'all are shit at providing notice. Don't know why or how, but invariably significant motions get filed and then never served. "Hey, you know what might be fun? Filing a TPR and then not letting the represented parents know! Good times, good times!"
Judge may have went overboard with her comments, but wasn't Abrams equally responsible to "back that shot up" before accusing the judge of having a relationship with Schneider?
Judge may have went overboard with her comments, but shouldn't Abrams equally responsible to "back that shot up" before accusing the judge of having a relationship with Schneider?
I imagine there was more substance in whatever Motion was filed with the Court. But I'd like to know more about this supposed relationship between the judge and Schneider.
@1:58: Abrams didn't accuse her (except by implication). She asked the judge to disclose on the record whether there existed any relationship between the judge and Schneider that would merely give the appearance of impropriety. Abrams didn't go there until after she herself had been accused of vague ethical violations that the judge was unable to substantiate. Even though the judge denied any relationship, it was clearly a home shot because the judge started backtracking from her previously aggressive stance. The move was therefore successful and took balls on Abrams' part.
I especially cringed at the judge warning Abrams, on multiple occasions, that she will not be allowed to "change the dynamic of these proceedings." What the fuck does that mean? What sort of argument or evidence might unlawfully "change the dynamic?" It's bullshit like this that gives family court a bad name.
Someone please identify the judge in this video so that I can remember to vote against her.
I think it was Jennifer Elliott (Dept. L)
I don't care about money. I care about perfection. Flawless perfection. Delivered on time. Screw up once and you are out. Darwinism.
It's that flawed perfection that really gets me mad.
Haha, I enjoyed the Abrams video. I don't know her, but my friends in family law described her the same way that the judge did. Thank God I don't do family law!