Customer Service Query re Solicitors

[richburley]

Scenario:

You want a solicitor to provide a personal injury service. “No win, no fee” of course; they all do that. But WHAT specifically would you want from them, in terms of service? What should they do in order to go the extra mile, in order to clinch your business?

Thanks in advance,

Richard

[Eric Mc]

Solicitors should issue a "Letter of Engagement" setting out their resonsibilities and yours. You could always ask the firm for a sample copy of this letter before committing to use them.

[richburley]

Hi Eric, sorry not to make things clear. I AM the PI solicitor. I *think* I know what people want, but I'm essentially undertaking research, because I'm wondering waht it is that people are looking for, and whether that is essentially different from any other service that people provide?

Edited by richburley on Monday 26th February 16:29

[johnfm]

richburley said:

Hi Eric, sorry not to make things clear. I AM the PI solicitor. I *think* I know what people want, but I'm essentially undertaking research, because I'm wondering waht it is that people are looking for, and whether that is essentially different from any other service that people provide?

Edited by richburley on Monday 26th February 16:29

Most people involved in PI claims want something for nothing! If you can offer that, you're halfway there.....

[Stevenj214]

I would probably expect to meet you once, give you my version of events, sign anything I need to and go home to wait for my cheque coming through the door relatively quickly.

[richburley]

Stevenj214 said:

I would probably expect to meet you once, give you my version of events, sign anything I need to and go home to wait for my cheque coming through the door relatively quickly.

Thank you for your thoughts Steven:

So, be polite, be professional, get as much achieved at the first meeting as possible, and try to finish the claim as quickly as possible, whilst doing justice to the claim? Anything else in particular, anyone?

[Eric Mc]

To be fair, those atributes should be "the norm" for any professional relationship.

Many firms who began to specialise in "no win, no fee" accident cases are finding it difficult to turn it into a profitable business model (based on some insider knowledge I have of one legal firm which went down this route). The trouble is, you can spend an inordinate amount of time on a case and then find yourself not getting paid for it.
Also, how you set your fees is important. If you agree a fee on a "percentage of claim" basis, there is the chance that, even if you DO win the case and get paid, it may not be enough to cover the time spent.

[richburley]

Eric Mc said:

To be fair, those atributes should be "the norm" for any professional relationship.

Many firms who began to specialise in "no win, no fee" accident cases are finding it difficult to turn it into a profitable business model (based on some insider knowledge I have of one legal firm which went down this route). The trouble is, you can spend an inordinate amount of time on a case and then find yourself not getting paid for it.
Also, how you set your fees is important. If you agree a fee on a "percentage of claim" basis, there is the chance that, even if you DO win the case and get paid, it may not be enough to cover the time spent.

Quite right, and essentailly, that means that in order to be successful, it is a "numbers game". And in that respect, I want to be "the best" - the one people turn to for this kind of help. And that's why I was asking what they specifically are looking for. You see, the business model is slightly different when you are effectively working for your client, for free. It doesn't mean the service is not as good, but it may well affect the clients expectations?

[Eric Mc]

And the sustainability of your practice.

From what I know about the legal profession, the single greatest selling point of a solicitor/barrister is their ability to win cases.

Going down the "cheap" or "value for money" route is a waste of time.
Also, picking and choosing the cases YOU want to do (rather than taking on everyone who comes to you) should ensure you have a better win ratio.

ASre you aiming to be an Aldis or a Fortnum and Masons?

[richburley]

Aldis, or Fortnums and Masons?

There are law firms of both types, and both types of law firms CAN work very effectively. Perhaps wanting to be all thigns to all men is optimistic?!?

[mcflurry]

Whichever model you choose, please don't chase ambulances as it puts our insurance premiums up...

[richburley]

mcflurry said:

Whichever model you choose, please don't chase ambulances as it puts our insurance premiums up...

Thank you for your input - I have never, and will never chase ambulances. If a claim is claim worthy, I will claim if someone wants me to, but I will gladly turn down work that is not appropraite, and whilst I do advertise, so people know I exist, I am not THAT desperate for work that I would "chase ambulances" a million years!

Edited by richburley on Tuesday 27th February 15:42

[Lurking Lawyer]

Eric Mc said:

If you agree a fee on a "percentage of claim" basis, there is the chance that, even if you DO win the case and get paid, it may not be enough to cover the time spent.

I don't do PI work (indeed, I don't do any conditional fee arrangement work at all, if I can help it!) but my understanding was that "contingency fee" (i.e. taking a %ge of a damages award) arrangements of that type were illegal and unenforceable?

Conditional fee arrangements work on the basis of you don't bill if you don't win and, if you do, you are entitled to mark up your fees by a %ge agreed at the outset which reflects the complexity of the case. That mark up is recovered from the other party.

Alternative forms of funding are not my forte so Rich will doubtless correct me if I'm way off beam

FWIW, Rich, taking my lawyer's hat off and putting my client's hat on, I would expect a solicitor pursuing a PI claim on my behalf to keep me updated regularly without having to be prompted and to do what they say they will do by the time they say they will do it.

Edited by Lurking Lawyer on Tuesday 27th February 16:37

[richburley]

For the avoidance of doubt, I do CONDITIONAL fee work, not CONTINGENCY fee work, which means my costs are recovered from the other side; I never take a percentage/cut from my own client; that has underones of US Attorney vultures and isn't a practice I want to adopt.

The problem for me is that knowing what I do about the law, I don't want to lose touch with what Joe Public wants from me!

Regards,

[Stevenj214]

richburley said:

Thank you for your input - I have never, and will never chase ambulances. If a claim is claim worthy, I will claim if someone wants me to, but I will gladly turn down work that is not appropraite, and whilst I do advertise, so people know I exist, I am not THAT desperate for work that I would "chase ambulances" a million years!

Well on that point, i'd say that No win - No fee arrangements will attract more 'non worthy' claims. The types of claims that previously nobody would have bothered about, but now they'll pursue because it's not going to cost them anything and they have a chance of a few thousand pounds out of it. That's why I mentioned the almost non involvement of the client - because in those types of claim they're not really bothered either way.

If you are only going for worthy claims where there was a clear negligent party and your client sustained real physical or psychological injuries I would expect a far more involved service, regular progress updates via post or email and occasional meetings.