The star treatment

In this modern age, being
a private client lawyer is arguably more demanding than ever. Firms strive for more and more efficiencies yet targets keep increasing. Private clients expect the highest standard in terms of quality of work and client care with ultra-high net worth clients expecting the star treatment, while fee earners are left to cope without secretarial support amid
a sea of filing, paperwork
and admin.

Things can be done to
relieve the pressure. Systems, checklists, precedents, reminder alerts, task lists and more can aid us with the job of keeping our clients happy and maximising profitability, but where do we start?

We can only make the most of the time available. We spend a fraction of it doing actual law and the majority shuffling paper and dealing with endless emails. Emails should only get the attention they warrant and should not interrupt you. It is more productive to work continuously on a matter until you have completed as much of the work as is possible. Resist the distractions that detract from this efficient working model. Plan your day and stick to that plan where possible.

You must not neglect your clients. Whether you use Outlook task manager, your diary or a handwritten list, you need a follow up system. It will keep matters moving and prevent work in progress (WIP) going stale. Clients need regular contact and gentle reminders. A few brilliant lawyers are gifted with photographic memories but most of us cannot hold the status of all our matters in our heads. A good system will enable you to create a façade
of excellence.

Private client work is notoriously admin heavy. You may only have a small share in a secretary so you need to make the most of him/her. Build
a rapport that means your support staff are motivated to help you. Give clear instructions and deadlines. Help your staff manage their time.

A fee earner needs order. Keep paperwork in logical piles, group admin emails together and dedicate time each day to deal with them. Avoid flitting from one task or matter to another. Always record matter related time as it may well be billable.

Private client work can be mundane, and, whether it is lasting power of attorneys (LPAs) or estate administration, there are elements that should be delegated. Use juniors and assistants to the maximum. Delegate and supervise. If carefully composed, good file notes can double up as client advice when sent with a short covering letter. Look to create standard letters of advice for topics that reoccur frequently. Avoid the need to reinvent the wheel every time. Letters of advice are one of the most time consuming and high risk areas of private client work.

Being a private client lawyer
is about providing a service. Encourage fee earners to adopt flexible working as they will then be empowered to adopt
a structure that works for them and for their clients. Give fee earners a smart phone and they will readily respond to emails in their own time. Give them a laptop and they will work from home. As a lawyer you have already accepted that your working day does not start at 9am and finish at 5pm, but with flexible working you can balance the need for your home life but be able to work on an ad hoc basis for the good of the job.

Go paperless. Gone are the days of keeping everything on file. Stop printing emails and e-file them instead. Give fee earners large or multiple monitors. Invest in the IT.
Private client work requires fee
earners to have access to many documents and it is essential that your IT can allow this whether a fee earner is in the office, at home or on the move.

Finally, it is better to keep a client than spend time trying to obtain new ones. There is a constant need to improve the profile of the firm, grow your network of contacts and work on referrers. The best business development is through word of mouth and if you provide the right quality of work and client care this will follow.

Obviously, there is a time and place for networking events but time is precious; be selective. Do not shy away from social media. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are powerful tools. It is not difficult to get started and you cannot go wrong. Start by opening a Twitter account and following @SJ_weekly. SJ

Camilla Bishop is an associate at Thomas Eggar