THE SEVEN MUSTS OF RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL LAW PRACTICE

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1 THE SEVEN MUSTS OF RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL LAW PRACTICE Moderator PAUL PARSONS, Austin Attorney at Law JODILYN MARIE GOODWIN, Houston Law Office of Jodi Goodwin SHAWN A. ORME, Dallas Jenkens & Gilchrist State Bar of Texas IMMIGRATION LAW INSTITUTE March 2-3, 2006 Houston CHAPTER 7

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3 PAUL PARSONS ATTORNEY AT LAW 704 RIO GRANDE AUSTIN, TEXAS (512) (512) (fax) Board Certified, Immigration and Nationality Law Texas Board of Legal Specialization PAUL PARSONS, born Bartlesville, Oklahoma, July 21, 1951; admitted to bar, Texas, 1978; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1981; U.S. Supreme Court, Mr. Parsons has practiced immigration law in Austin since He received a B.A. in Political Science in 1973 from Oklahoma State University and a juris doctorate degree in 1977 from the University of Texas School of Law. Mr. Parsons was appointed in 1992 by Governor Ann Richards as Chairman of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Immigration. He is the recipient of the Sam Williamson Memorial Award "for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law." Mr. Parsons served as a Director on the Board of Governors of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) from and is the former Chairman of the Texas- Oklahoma-New Mexico Chapter. He was awarded the AILA Texas Chapter's Service Award in 1990 "for his contributions to the practice of immigration law" and the National AILA Pro Bono Award for his efforts to provide pro bono immigration representation. Mr. Parsons previously served as Chairman of AILA's Committee on Consumer Protection. Mr. Parsons served as Chairman of the State Bar of Texas Committee on Laws Relating to Immigration from 1990 to He previously was a member of the American Bar Association's Committee on Immigration Law. Mr. Parsons served as Chairman of the Examinations Committee on Immigration for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization from , and as Chairman of the Boards Immigration & Nationality Law Advisory Committee. He is a Life Fellow Member of the Texas Bar Foundation and a Founding Fellow of the Travis County Bar Foundation. Mr. Parsons was President of the Austin Chapter of the Federal Bar Association from He is an Attorney Consultant to the Government of Mexico. Mr. Parsons is fluent in Spanish and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White). He served as President of the Austin Kiwanis from

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5 Curriculum Vitae Personal: Professional: Jodi Goodwin Mulberry CR Lyford, Texas Law Office of Jodi Goodwin 1322 East Tyler Avenue Harlingen, Texas (fax) Licenses: Texas Supreme Court (1995) United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (1996) Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (1997) Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law Education: Juris Doctorate, St. Mary s University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas (1995) Bachelor of Arts, University of Texas, Austin, Texas (1991) Practice Areas: Immigration & Nationality Law: including immigrant and nonimmigrant visas (family and business), citizenship, removal, and employer sanctions Criminal Defense (focusing on immigration related crimes and criminal aliens) Federal Civil Litigation Experience: Law Office of Jodi Goodwin, 1996 to present United States Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Shivers & Shivers, Attorneys at Law, 1995 St. Mary s University Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, Texas Rural Legal Aid, Inc., Federal District Court, Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division, 1994 Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), 1993 Associations: State Bar of Texas, Chair, Committee on Laws Relating to Immigration and Nationality Cameron County Bar Association American Bar Association American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Texas Chapter Chair Supreme Court of Texas, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee

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7 Immigration Shawn A. Orme Shareholder, Immigration & Nationality Law Jenkens & Gilchrist, A Professional Corporation 1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 3700 Dallas, TX (214) (214) fax sorme@jenkens.com Education University of Michigan Law School (J.D., 1992) Princeton University (with honors) (B.A., 1989) Licenses & Admissions Licensed to practice in Texas Practice & Concentration Mr. Orme focuses his practice on immigration law, with an emphasis on business immigration law, including temporary employment visas, alien labor certifications, and applications for permanent residence. He also advises clients on family-based immigration issues, and assists notable scientists, athletes, and media personalities in obtaining U.S. residency. Mr. Orme is a regular, national speaker on immigration-related topics and is a frequent Professional Affiliations Listed in 2006 edition of Best Lawyers in America Chair, AILA - Texas Service Center Liaison Committee (3 years) Chair, AILA Service Center Operations Committee AILA National Benefits Committee American Immigration Lawyers Association Texas Chapter, American Immigration Lawyers Association presenter at national and chapter symposiums.

8 Recent Publications & Presentations Surviving the H-1B Blackout, AILA National Conference, Salt Lake City (June 2005) Immigration Update, Houston HR Meeting (March 2005) Immigration in Post 9/11 Environment, Houston HR Roundtable Update, Houston, Texas (Jan. 2004) TSC Ins and Outs, Mid South AILA Chapter, Memphis, Tennessee (Nov. 2003) The H-1B Process, University of Texas Immigration Seminar, Austin, Texas (Oct. 2003) Immigration Today, Dallas Business Society, Dallas, Texas (Sept. 2003) Handling RFEs, AILA National Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana (June 2003) Post 9/11 Immigration Issues, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Arlington, Texas (May 2003) Immigration Seminar, Turkish Society of Dallas, Dallas, Texas (March 2003) TSC Do s and Don ts, Houston HR Roundtable Update, Houston, Texas (Jan. 2003) TSC Update, AILA Texas Chapter Conference, Cancun, Mexico (October 2002) Service Center Strategies, AILA National Conference (June 2002) 245i Update, AILA Texas Chapter, South Padre Island, Texas (March 2002)

9 The Seven Musts of Running a Successful Law Practice Chapter 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. YOU MUST KNOW YOUR PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS... 1 A. Texas Rules B. American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct ( ABA Model Rules )... 1 C. The Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) and Implementing Regulations... 1 II. YOU MUST BE ACCESSIBLE: RETURN CALLS/CORRESPONDENCE PROMPTLY... 3 III. YOU MUST REALIZE IT IS OK TO NOT KNOW AN ANSWER... 3 IV. YOU MUST HAVE AMPLE RESOURCES AT YOUR DISPOSAL... 3 V. YOU MUST MANAGE YOUR TIME EFFICIENTLY... 4 A. You Can t Do Everything... 4 B. Utilize and Maintain Forms for Certain Areas of Your Practice... 4 VI. PARALEGALS CAN BE INDISPENSABLE AND HENCE MUST BE RESPECTED... 4 A. Licensure and Professional Associations... 4 B. Reasons to Use Paralegals... 5 C. Practice Pointers... 5 VII. YOU MUST TREAT EACH CLIENT THE SAME... 5 APPENDICES: TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT... 7 THE TEXAS LAWYER S CREED CODE OF ETHICS FOR LEGAL ASSISTANTS TEXAS RULES OF DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE SECTION , TITLE 8CFR PROFESSIONAL ETHICS COMMITTEE, OPINION CONSENT AND DISCLOSURE FOR AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT DOCUMENT LIST FOR I-30, PETITION FOR ALIEN RELATIVE I-864 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSULAR PROCESS DOCUMENTS FOR EOIR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS PACKET, ONE STEP N-400, NATURALIZATION CLIENT INTAKE i

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11 The Seven Musts of Running a Successful Law Practice Chapter 7 THE SEVEN MUSTS OF RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL LAW PRACTICE Jodi Goodwin Paul Parsons Shawn A. Orme The following list is by no means exhaustive. In fact, many could/will argue that it is too incomplete or overly inclusive. Nonetheless, we have tried to include recommendations musts that are based not only upon the idiosyncrasies of our practices but of any practice big or small. Notably, some of the musts have similar themes and recommendations. This is not by design, but rather results naturally. In fact, these musts transcend recommendations for an immigration lawyer but are applicable to any professional practice. I. YOU MUST KNOW YOUR PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS We put this first for a reason. If you fail to understand what you can or cannot do as a practicing lawyer then the remainder of this list will become moot. Therefore, we have devoted the most attention to this recommendation. A. Texas Rules. We would highly recommend that a practicing lawyer keep a copy (or have immediate access to) the following: 1. The Texas Rules of Professional Conduct 1 2. The Texas Lawyer s Creed 2 3. The Code of Ethics for Legal Associates 3 4. The Rules of Disciplinary Procedure 4 As a practicing lawyer, issues will frequently (sometimes daily) arise that involve some aspect of legal ethics: For example, can I represent a company and an employee of that company, what if a conflict arises, what are my responsibilities as a supervising lawyer, etc.? We are by no means suggesting that everyone become an expert. What we are advocating, however, is that you have access to these resources because taking the time to research uncertain/ambiguous issues is much more preferable than trying to quickly analogize your particular situation to some question you recall being on the 1 Attached as Exhibit A. 2 Attached as Exhibit B. 3 Attached as Exhibit C. 4 Due to the length of the Rule and Notes, a copy of the Table of Contents is attached as Exhibit D. 1 ethics section of the state bar exam. Rather, you must take the time to look at the issue(s) and, if still uncertain, seek outside guidance, either within your own firm or from an outside source. The consequences of a bad decision can be severe. Attorneys may face suspension, disbarment, sanctions, malpractice, tort liability, and criminal prosecution. We have included a copy of the aforementioned for easy future reference. Additionally, and perhaps more conveniently, each can be easily located at the following website: B. American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct ( ABA Model Rules ) The ABA Model Rules were revised (2001/2002) and, although not yet adopted by Texas, will likely be adopted. Additionally, immigration law is inherently a federally administrative practice and hence often involves multiple jurisdictions, thus further highlighting the importance of the ABA Model Rules. The adopted revised ABA Model Rules are located at C. The Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) and Implementing Regulations The Act itself has specific requirements which must be followed and often include repercussions for failing to act accordingly. 1. Immigration Statutes INA 240(b)(6)(C) This section defines conduct in removal proceedings. Specifically: The Attorney General shall, by regulation (A) define in proceeding before an immigration judge or before an appellate administrative body under this subchapter, frivolous behavior for which attorneys may be sanctioned, (B) specify the circumstances under which an administrative appeal of a decision or ruling will be considered frivolous and will be summarily dismissed, and (C) impose appropriate sanctions (which may include suspension and disbarment) in the case of frivolous behavior. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as limiting the authority of the Attorney General to take actions with respect to inappropriate behavior.

12 The Seven Musts of Running a Successful Law Practice Chapter 7 Frivolous is defined at 8 C.F.R (j)(1): A practitioner engages in frivolous behavior when he or she knows or reasonably should have known that his or her actions lack an arguable basis in law or in fact, or are taken for an improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay. Actions that, if taken improperly, may be subject to disciplinary sanctions include, but are not limited to, the making of an argument on any factual or legal question, the submission of an application for discretionary relief, the filing of a motion, or the filing of an appeal. The signature of a practitioner on any filing, application, motion, appeal, brief, or other document constitutes certification by the signer that the signer has read the filing, application, motion, appeal, brief, or other document and that, to the best of the signer s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after inquiry reasonable under the circumstances, the document is wellgrounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or by a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law or the establishment of new law, and is not interposed for any improper purpose. INA 274C(a)(5) This statute prohibits any person or entity to knowingly: Prepare, file, or assist another in preparing or filing any application for benefits under this chapter, or any document required under this chapter, or any document submitted in connection with such application or document, with knowledge or in reckless disregard of the fact that such application or document was falsely made or, in whole or in part, does not relate to the person on whose behalf it was or is being submitted. The term falsely make is defined in 1324c(f) as: to prepare or provide an application or document, with knowledge or in reckless disregard of the fact that the application or document contains a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or material representation, or has no basis in law or fact, or otherwise fails to state a fact which is material to the purpose for which it was submitted Immigration Regulations Additionally, the implementing regulations of the Act dictate who can represent an individual regarding Department of Homeland Security (DHS) filings. 8 CFR 292.3; 8 CFR CFR now describes practice before the DHS. 8 CFR describes practice before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). 5 Each section provides the authority for adjudicatory officials and the Board of Immigration Appeals to impose sanctions against immigration lawyers. For example: It will be in the public interest to impose disciplinary sanctions against a practitioner who is authorized to practice before the Service when such person has engaged in criminal, unethical, or unprofessional conduct, or in frivolous behavior, as set forth in of this chapter. 8 CFR EOIR has promulgated its own rules governing the practice of lawyers and representatives appearing before it. 7 As part of these rules, the EOIR has provided a list of thirteen examples of conduct that will provide grounds for imposing sanctions. 8 Since this list is now referenced by both DHS and EOIR regulations, all immigration lawyers, not just those who practice before EOIR, should be familiar with this list. 9 * * * * * NOTE REGARDING INTERNET SOLICITATIONS There has been a marked increase in companies seeking lawyers who are willing to pay a fee to be listed on a privately sponsored Internet site. Essentially, the site obtains information over the Internet from potential clients about their legal 5 [R]epresentation of aliens before CIS and EOIR has historically been considered as a single process and will continue to be so considered for the foreseeable future. 68 Fed. Reg (Feb. 28, 2003) 6 Now 8 CFR See 8 CFR et seq. 8 Attached as Exhibit E is a copy of this litany. 9 The list in 8 CFR is not exhaustive. The preamble to 8 CFR states: It is deemed to be in the public interest for an adjudicating official or the Board to impose disciplinary sanctions against any practitioner who falls within one or more of the categories enumerated in this section, but these categories do not constitute the exclusive grounds for which disciplinary sanctions may be imposed in the public interest.

13 The Seven Musts of Running a Successful Law Practice Chapter 7 problems and forwards the information to subscribing lawyers. Notably, the Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas in Opinion No. 561 (August 2005) 10 expressly found in considering such an arrangement that a lawyer may not pay a fee to be listed on a privately sponsored Internet site It is likely as young lawyers or lawyers new to the immigration field that you will be contacted by such a service. As previously admonished, keep abreast of the ethics opinions which are issued, as many lawyers are paying significant fees for such a service, expressly held to be impermissible under existing ethical standards in Texas. II. YOU MUST BE ACCESSIBLE: RETURN CALLS/CORRESPONDENCE PROMPTLY Survey after survey reveals that one of the biggest complaints clients have about their lawyer(s) is that they are too hard to reach. There will come a day (if it hasn t come already) when you will be working late, are tired, and are shorthanded/overworked/ overwhelmed. The last thing you will want to do after such a day is return calls and/or s. Nonetheless, we feel it s important that clients get their calls/ s returned no later than 24 hours, or ideally, on the same day. Even if you are not able to get back to a client with a formal, exhaustive answer at least advise that you got the call or message and give them an expectation as to when an answer is coming. Ultimately, the client management aspect of practicing law simply involves creating and managing expectations. Critical to this goal is effective, timely communication. Here are some recommendations to help you accomplish this must : i) Keep an active calendar regarding appointments, calls received, calls returned, etc. which is readily accessible and immediately updated. ii) Establish and maintain a clear system for handling incoming calls. Specifically, make sure the time of a call is recorded, the caller is clearly identified and the nature of the call is determined. If the message is clear and thorough, considerable time can be saved. iii) If possible, we would recommend carrying a cell phone and a portable device. In today s business environment, most clients will expect to be able to reach you in an emergency situation. You do not necessarily have to give your cell number to every client, but at least have those who support you (secretary, paralegal, etc.) know where you can be reached. 10 Enclosed herein as Exhibit F. 3 III. YOU MUST REALIZE IT IS OK TO NOT KNOW AN ANSWER No one (particularly lawyers!!) enjoys not knowing an answer. In certain environments standardized tests, trivia contests, etc. guessing is not only permissible but encouraged. One venue, however, where it is not encouraged is in the practice of law. Immigration law not only encompasses an extraordinarily wide range of issues, 11 but it is constantly changing and from a host of sources Congress can pass new laws, regulations can be rewritten, policy memoranda can be issued, procedures can be altered, decisions in federal and state courts can be overturned, and the administrative appeals office can reverse supporting and adverse decisions. The point we are making is that immigration laws and regulations change and change often. It is therefore fundamental that you will not always know an answer of the top of your head. If this is the case, make absolutely sure you do the required research and that you are 100% certain (or as close to 100% as possible) you are correct. The Texas Chapter of AILA has a tremendous mentoring program and we would encourage every young lawyer (including more experienced lawyers new to the immigration arena) to take advantage of this resource. IV. YOU MUST HAVE AMPLE RESOURCES AT YOUR DISPOSAL This is somewhat a corollary to the must regarding guessing and effective time management. Nonetheless, it has been made a separate point because those who are able to generally locate an answer or a recent significant development quickly save time, thus enabling more time to the focus on other matters. The following is a list of resource materials we keep handy: 1. Copy of the Immigration and Nationality Act 2. Code of Federal Regulations (8 C.F.R.) 3. The Foreign Affairs Manual of The Department of State 4. Immigration Law Sourcebook (Ninth Edition) Ira Kurzban (for handy reference). We are convinced you could ask five different lawyers which resources they use and get five different answers. The point is that you should use what you are comfortable with. This is only an example. 11 In fact, we would argue that immigration law touches upon more other legal areas than any other practice. For example, immigration lawyers are frequently confronted with issues involving the following practice areas: tax, corporate, family, criminal, litigation, and intellectual property just to name a few.

14 The Seven Musts of Running a Successful Law Practice Chapter 7 V. YOU MUST MANAGE YOUR TIME EFFICIENTLY Managing your time as a lawyer is of paramount importance. This includes not only your personal time as a working lawyer but time billed/utilized by paralegals and administrative staff working with you. A. You Can t Do Everything Most eager young lawyers make the mistake of trying to balance too many projects at one time. It is therefore critical that you maintain a manageable caseload. A manageable caseload will certainly differ among lawyers and is clearly dependent upon the amount/type of resources one has available. We believe that it takes many months (at least 6) before one can get a feel for what he/she can handle at one time. We can tell you from personal experience that there is nothing better than successfully handling a case and enjoying that success with the client. Conversely, we will tell you that there is nothing more miserable than having too much to do and not enough time to do it. When describing a legal practice which includes a high volume of cases, a colleague once described it as follows: You are out in the ocean on a raft a raft that with the proper attention and balance can fairly easily be managed and every so often waves will come (with varying degrees of frequency) and your job is to ride the wave and manage to stay afloat. The thought here is not to imagine Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway struggling to survive with the sun and lack of food seeking to extinguish his life. Rather, the metaphor is rather intended to be one of a happy productive lawyer deftly managing the ups and downs (waves) of a bustling legal practice. To accomplish this, however, one must know his/her limitations too many waves can capsize a lawyer s raft. B. Utilize and Maintain Forms for Certain Areas of Your Practice Many immigration practitioners maintain a forms database to assist in handling certain reoccurring issues/steps/processes. Such forms can greatly reduce time spent on a specific project or a step within a certain process. We have included below a list and copy of forms frequently utilized by us in our practice. They are as follows: 1. Consent and Disclosure for Affidavit of Support Document List for I-130, Petition for Alien Relative I-864 Supporting Documents Attached as Exhibit G. 13 Attached as Exhibit H Consular Process Checklist Documents for EOIR Adjustment of Status Packet N-400, Naturalization Client Intake Questionnaire 19 VI. PARALEGALS CAN BE INDISPENSABLE AND HENCE MUST BE RESPECTED We believe one of the most important elements in establishing an immigration team, is the effective use of paralegals. The ABA defines a paralegal as: A legal assistant or paralegal is a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Notably, the paralegal profession developed in the early to mid-1970 s when many law firms and individual practitioners sought ways to improve the delivery of quality, cost-effective legal services to clients. Immigration paralegals come from a variety of backgrounds and are now used in many roles. Many have been experienced secretaries, have paralegal certificates, have baccalaureate or law degrees from the United States or abroad, some are licensed attorneys in foreign jurisdictions, have language and cultural affinities, or are former DHS, Department of Labor, or State Department employees. These key support personnel can exert an immense influence over clients and shoulder substantial day-to-day responsibilities for cases. Immigration practices tend to use paralegals to a greater extent than attorneys in many other practice areas. A. Licensure and Professional Associations Currently, there is no requirement that paralegals be licensed and, hence, there is no licensure vehicle in Texas. Nonetheless, the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) offers a Certified Legal Assistant Specialty Examination which is a national test encompassing Federal and common law, basic skills, legal research and communication. Separately, the 14 Attached as Exhibit I. 15 Attached as Exhibit J. 16 Attached as Exhibit K. 17 Attached as Exhibit L. 18 Attached as Exhibit M. 19 Attached as Exhibit N.

15 The Seven Musts of Running a Successful Law Practice Chapter 7 National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) offers an exam called Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam. Successful completion of this exam, which also focuses upon Federal and common law, allows for the use of the title Registered Paralegal. Finally, The Texas Board of Legal Specialization offers state law specialty examinations for paralegals, just as it does for lawyers. Successful completion of this approximately six hour exam allows a paralegal to use the credential Board Certified Legal Assistant. B. Reasons to Use Paralegals 1. Paralegals can be cost-effective to clients. 2. Paralegals assist attorneys in monitoring and meeting time deadlines. 3. While attorneys focus on legal strategy and substantive issues, paralegals master facts and are detail-oriented. 4. Clients like the accessibility of paralegals. 5. Clients feel comfortable calling paralegals with non-legal questions, much like patients who call nurses at their physician s office. 6. Paralegals contribute to better organization of cases and transactions. 7. Paralegals can be a strong link for a teamoriented practice of law. C. Practice Pointers Hold periodic meetings with your paralegals preferably on a weekly basis to review law changes, office procedures and client matters. Encourage your paralegals to update their skills and take advantage of training opportunities, including attending legal seminars. Provide close supervision and give your paralegals complete access to you as their supervising attorney. Utilize the paralegals in nontraditional roles such as maintaining the library/research materials, monitoring AILA InfoNet, and/or working on special projects. Do not allow paralegals to sign correspondence or applications sent to or filed with any government agencies only counsel should sign. Do not allow paralegals to set legal fees with clients; however, they may provide information that is set forth in a published price list, or, for example, they can indicate the hourly rates charged by the firm for attorneys or paralegals. It is highly recommended that an attorney conduct the initial interview, although you may wish to have your paralegals phonescreen potential clients. When the client initially comes to the office, it is critical that the client meet with the attorney and that any fee agreement be signed by the client and the attorney, even though the paralegal may be present during those activities. Cross-train your paralegals in order to protect them in a down-sizing market so that they have proper skills to able to handle various kinds of immigration matters. While some practices use a model of compartmentalizing paralegals into various specialties, it is important to continually cross-train your paralegals in various aspects and allow them to move about within your immigration practice. Promote the broadening of the paralegal s horizons, including attending EOIR hearings, visiting the local DHS offices, attending AILA functions, seminars, and conferences. VII. YOU MUST TREAT EACH CLIENT THE SAME The final must is really a blend of professionalism and good business sense. A healthy, active corporate client can be a great source of business and as you become familiar with the company s idiosyncrasies personnel, structure, technology, etc. managing the client should become easier and easier. Clearly, clients who provide you or your firm with recurring business should be given high priority. The point we want to make here is that other clients (particularly individual clients) should not suffer from particular attention you may choose to give larger corporate clients. Make no mistake, you should give clients with recurring business high priority; such service, however, should not be to the detriment of other clients. Ultimately, every lawyer succeeds or fails on the basis of his/her reputation and there is no faster way to diminish your reputation than by creating a caste system for your clients. There will clearly be times when a corporate client s needs will have to take precedence; that, however, does not obviate a lawyer from serving other clients in a timely fashion and reasonably addressing their needs and expectations. Staying organized and returning calls/correspondence promptly goes a long way in accomplishing this must. In the end, the Golden Rule (albeit somewhat modified) is the best rule here: Do unto clients as you would have done unto you. This probably seems over simplistic and honestly it is. Trying to maintain this 5

16 The Seven Musts of Running a Successful Law Practice Chapter 7 standard on a busy day is nonetheless particularly challenging. You must not forget it!! 6

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