managing the Client relationship
Thursday, June 21, 2007
3:00pm – 6:00pm
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
New Lawyers Section
This program will provide practical advice you will need in order to address the many issues, from ethical to practical, when working with clients. The seminar will cover the best practices for managing client relationships from initial contact through the conclusion of the case.
The panel of experienced and widely represented practitioners will address a number of important, fundamental, and often overlooked issues that arise, and will provide you with a solid understanding of the common pitfalls that arise and offer practical suggestions on how to deal with them.
Specific topics will include:
I. Establishment of the Attorney-Client Relationship
- How to avoid ambiguous relationships
- How to handle referrals from other attorneys and co-counsel relationships
II. Retention/Engagement Letters
- Defining the scope of services
- Reliance on experts/consultants/non-legal service providers
- Retainers and billing issues
III. Managing the Client
- Managing Expectations: costs, range of possible outcomes, time to conclusion, alternative approaches
- Managing the client who "plays lawyer"
IV. Mid-course Corrections
- Uncooperative clients
- Impaired, ill, or incapacitated clients
- Handling unforeseen conflicts of interest
- Obligations to the court and opposing counsel
V. Concluding the Relationship
- Withdrawal issues
- Maintaining and returning client files/records/evidence
- Termination of services
Panelists
George A. Berman, Esq.
Peabody & Arnold LLP
Susan E. Cohen, Esq.
Peabody & Arnold LLP
Patrick J. Dolan, Esq.
Demeo & Associates, P.C.
Rodney S. Dowell, Esq.
Berman & Dowell
Tamsin R. Kaplan, Esq.
Tamsin R. Kaplan & Associates, P.C.
Lori A. Yarvis, Esq.
Schlesinger and Buchbinder, LLP
Program Chair and Moderator
Edmund J. Gorman, Esq.
Law Office of Edmund J. Gorman
Program Prices
$60 - BBA members
$90 - Non-Members
$25 - Law Student
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