The legal marketplace is very competitive since numerous attorneys and law firms compete for the same business from clients. In this environment, many lawyers try to distinguish themselves from other attorneys and show their loyalty for the people and companies they serve. One of the best ways to solidify relationships with clients is for lawyers to outwardly show their support for their clients.
I take a lot of pride in the clients for whom I work, so it is easy for me to show my support for clients. One of the easiest ways I do this is to buy products from the various clients I serve. For instance, my law firm represents a number of retail brands, and I take every chance to purchase items produced by my clients. Usually, clients love to hear that I do this, and in certain instances, this can improve my representation since I understand the clients’ operations more than if I did not patronize my clients.
I remember reading years ago about lawyers representing retailers in merger talks wearing suits produced by the retailers they represented! I’m sure the respective clients loved to hear this story, and patronizing clients can be a small act that goes a long way toward fortifying a relationship with clients.
Showing up for clients is another way that lawyers can demonstrate their support for the people they serve. For instance, after opening a store, or closing on a property, a client may host a grand opening to celebrate the start of their new chapter. It is usually a good idea for lawyers to attend such grand openings or other similar events. Clients really appreciate it when lawyers show up for them during their personal time, and such events can be great networking opportunities for lawyers to originate additional work.
Some clients may host fundraising events to support either their operations or the operations of a charity they support. It is usually a great idea for lawyers to attend such events. Earlier this year, I attended one such event on behalf of a client, and it was a fun affair. At the event, I was able to meet a number of counterparts at the client who I had never met before, and this helped fortify the bonds I had with the in-house people at the client. I also met a number of other interesting people at the event that I was able to follow up with to expand my professional network.
Patronizing a client can come in a variety of forms and can go beyond just purchasing items produced by a client. For instance, earlier in my career, my firm represented a fitness studio in a large expansion project. After the studio launched, I made sure to sign up for a fitness class hosted by the main point-person of the client with whom I interacted throughout the course of the deal. I usually do not like to work out in groups, but the class was a lot of fun. The class also opened me up to a new type of fitness I might not have considered if I hadn’t attended.
Of course, lawyers have reasons for why they may not wish to show their support for clients. It can be difficult for lawyers to take time off from their personal lives to attend client events, and some may argue this degrades the work-life balance. Moreover, some lawyers might have differences of opinions with their clients and may not wish to patronize them in their personal time. However, supporting clients by attending client events and patronizing clients is beneficial in a number of ways and can help solidify the bonds that exist between clients and their counsel.
Jordan Rothman is a partner of The Rothman Law Firm, a full-service New York and New Jersey law firm. He is also the founder of Student Debt Diaries, a website discussing how he paid off his student loans. You can reach Jordan through email at jordan@rothman.law.
