OCR Text |
Show egaS L5naSp m iyq'mara J. Hauge Clients who complain about high attorney's fees sometimes don't realize that they are responsible to a certain extent for hundreds of dollars of fees which could have been avoided. If attorneys were to have a meter ticking away in their offices, or a little voice which comes on the phone saying "that last five minutes just cost you another $12," then clients might be more selective about the topics they choose to discuss with their attorneys. A client, especially in a divorce situation, often needs a sympathetic listening ear. This I am happy to provide, but I am not so happy when the client complains about the bill. After all, I did not twist the client's arm into telling me his or her two-hour life story! A client has primary control over how high his or her bill will be in the following areas: The client controls, to a certain extent, how much consultation time and telephone time the attorney spends. A client who goes into long drawn out, unnecessary explorations of every detail of his or her life will have l. higher bill. The client who calls daily to determine the status of the case will have a higher bill. A client may avoid this situation by forming a good relationship with the attorney's secretary, who can then provide free information infor-mation as to whether papers were filed, parties were served, or whether a , settlement offer has been accepted. Some attorneys charge a flat rate for all telephone conversations regardless of .thejengtlulajthis situation.. a..clienl might be especially motivated to avoid numerous phone calls. The client who can gather information and documents about his case and can prepare readable summaries of groups of documents will save himself him-self or herself a substantial amount of attorney's fees. Often I spend hours adding simple figures and preparing summaries which a client could have done himself or herself. A client can also take the time to search out witnesses wit-nesses and make a preliminary investigation of their knowledge of the relevant rel-evant facts. The attorney can then follow up on interviews if the witness appears knowledgeable. Clients who can prepare typewritten fact statements state-ments for themselves and witnesses provide themselves with an additional bonus. If the client has done some of the fact-screening, then I don't have to listen to long discussions of irrelevant data. The client who can act as a runner often speeds up his or her own cas ; immeasurably and saves attorney fees in the bargain. The client who familiarizes himself or herself with relevant law, and who can assist in research will save a bundle. I always encourage a client who is interested to assist me in my research. The client who follows current developments in his or her relevant areas of law by reading the newspaper or following news stories can sometimes some-times alert the attorney to new laws or cases which may be useful. I have one final suggestion for clients who want the best possible service from their attorneys, and that is that clients should stay current in their oayments of attorneys fees. If a client can't afford to pay a large retainer T'sd asks the attorney to accept monthly payments, there is nothing less mo-l mo-l iting for the attorney than to feel the client is taking advantage of the situation. si-tuation. Even if a client cannot pay the enure bill, a regular payment will demonstrate good faith. If a client really wants to win his case in court he or she should consider following the suggestions above. A client who uses his discretion in contacting con-tacting the attorney and who pulls out all the stops to assist his attorney with the case will not only get a belter result but will be surprised at how much money he can save. |