As lawyers, we know that pictures speak a thousand words. We often use pictures and other visuals to persuade
clients, juries, opposing counsel, government regulators, and others to see our
point of view. Pictures are powerful,
but we are often ignorant of some of the most powerful images: The picture of how our clients view us as
lawyers.
Rest assured, clients reach conclusions about your qualities as a
lawyer by extrapolating from the visible to the invisible. The condition of your office and files become
vivid symbols of your skills and attitude toward your clients and their
problems.
Messy, disorganized files project carelessness, while neat,
well-organized files convey concern, competence, and attention to detail. A
cluttered office and desk can convey an image to a visiting client that you are
too busy to effectively handle their legal matters.
Other lawyers and judges also notice the condition of your files,
so your reputation in the legal community, and consequently your effectiveness
as a lawyer, is influenced by the messages they send.
Here is a proposed standard for file maintenance, as suggested by Alberta lawyer Paul McLaughlin in his book Welcome to Reality: A New Lawyer's Guide to Success: My clients can
come in at any time and look through their files without their condition or
contents embarrassing me.
Here is my proposed standard for office appearance: My clients can
visit at any time without the condition of my office embarrassing me or causing
the client to silently question my effectiveness and efficiency.
Meeting with clients in a conference room is, at best, a temporary
solution to a messy office. Quite
frankly, it’s a cop-out. The same goes
for shoving documents in the file with the best intentions of neatly organizing
it later—it only gets attention if the matter goes to trial or a hearing. In the meantime, clients and others are
watching the mess grow.
Taking time to frequently organize your files and offices will
provide your clients with a positive picture to take with them during and after
the representation.
Not a sermon, just a thought.
