How Busy is Your Attorney?

An attorney recently asked her colleagues for advice. She said:
Case load

 

What is the maximum amount of family law cases, a family law attorney should have to properly and adequately represent the client's interest?

I presently have an 92 family law case load. The vast majority of my family law cases are highly litigious, some with extremely difficult opposing counsels. In addition I have 19 criminal files increasing my case load to 111. I feel this is too much, but my employer does not see it that way and continue to assign me anywhere from 1 to 5 new files a day.

I only have 1 paralegal who does her best to keep up, but is drowning. Her duties include, scheduling, communication with the clients, gather and prepare discovery requests/demands, filing, scanning, prepare miscellaneous motions and send out client invoices. We work well as a team but it is increasingly hard to keep up. I wish to provide my employers with suggestions on how to improve so that the we do not feel so overworked. I have to address them like I am addressing a case, with strong arguments and facts on hand. Thus why I reached out to my colleagues here. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Sincerely,
Overworked Attorney

 

I don't know how many cases I am currently handling, but I know I am not working as hard as this attorney. I suspect I also have a much better quality of life than this attorney. I too have one paralegal, but I also have a receptionist and a file clerk who do a Lot of work for us.

 

Really, how you handle a case is more important than the number of cases you handle. I try to let clients know up front how their case will proceed and what actions will be taken. When clients begin calling with problems, I set a time to meet personally to address their concerns. Many problems are avoided by ensuring expectations are reasonable before taking a case.

 

Most importantly, I take on cases that have reasonable expectations. If a client comes in seeking my assistance to do something patently abusive or unfair to their spouse, I decline the representation.

Actually, I decline quite a few clients. I want to provide good quality service at a reasonable fee. I cannot meet that goal by taking every case that calls or promising unreasonable results.

Looking for a Lawyer - some pitfalls to avoid

If you need to hire a lawyer, look for someone with legal experience, reasonable personality and responsiveness to your needs.

The law is a popular second career. Don't assume that every middle aged lawyer has been a lawyer for decades. I have more than 14 years of experience as a lawyer, and have several more years reviewing contracts, researching legal issues and working with attorneys, in a variety of practice areas. This gives me the background and perspective to assess your legal needs. Many times, an experienced lawyer can provide a quick and simple solution or strategy, when a new attorney, though less expensive on an hourly basis, may spend several hours finding an answer.

I believe that it's also important that a lawyer understands what the client is going through. There are many good attorneys who have never been a party to litigation of any type. While that's fortunate for them, I don't believe that they appreciate their clients' needs as well as those of us who have - unfortunately -had the need to hire an attorney. Being a client gives attorneys new insight, and greater appreciation, for the stress and fear that a lawsuit or legal problem creates.

One attorney advertises on television, "I'm not here to be your friend, When you want aggressive legal representation, call the _________ Law Firm." I am glad that many of my clients call me "friend" long after the litigation is done. I am blessed by clients who refer their family and friends to my office and continue to consider me their attorney long after the final judgment is entered. Some of my colleagues are not so inclined.

Attorney Sarah C H Phillips says: "Aggressive behaviors run up legal fees, destroy any real chance of cooperation between parents, and leave children as the victims of litigation . . . Unfortunately I do still encounter lawyers who seem to believe that aggressive behaviours are what is expected of them. It's never helpful to have your client crying on the phone because of the latest obnoxious letter from the other side that does nothing to progress the case and everything to alienate the parties from each other further."

A great article on Aggressive Lawyers can be found here: http://benchandbarllc.com/aggressivelawyer/?goback=%2Egde_96041_member_244083492

I like the line: Good Lawyers Don't just "Try" cases; Good Lawyers Try to "Resolve" cases. 

Most important in Resolving Cases is responding in communication. When a client calls, or when an attorney calls, an answer should be forthcoming. I like to answer my own phone. I do not screen calls. My staff answers if I am in conference or on the other line, but never because "so and so" is calling!

When you need to talk, call me at 407-645-3297. You can also send an email to aubrey@aubreylaw.com or visit my website at www.aubreylaw.com
I look forward to hearing from you! Aubrey