To Serve

I took on a new client. At first I didn't want the case. But as she laid out the facts (which turned out to be correct after some digging) I offered to represent her pro bono. She burst into tears and it was a touching moment. But giving myself a pat on the back isn't the point.

I encountered an egregious injustice that reminded me why I went to school for my profession: to make things right.

Whenever it becomes just another client, patient, sale, whatever, remind yourself why you entered your profession, to serve. Chasing the money is a bottomless pit. If you've lost the ability to be a servant, it's time to evaluate if it's you or your environment that needs to change.

Good Money After Bad

Somewhere, many moons ago, crusty lawyers got together and decided it was acceptable not to return phone calls, to talk condescendingly to clients and use big legal words with clients in an attempt to project their expertise. As a collective, we are terrible at customer service and writing TV ads, except for this guy.

But there is a paradigm shift happening. No longer is it enough to merely throw six and seven figures at TV ads, bus wraps and billboards. People want the unfiltered truth before they hire you. What are current and past clients saying (online)? Whatever is being said, it's received more warmly than any amount you can throw into marketing.