{"id":149175,"date":"2026-04-19T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/04\/19\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T10:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T18:00:00","slug":"they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/04\/19\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/","title":{"rendered":"They Had Relations: Five Tips for Better Client Communications"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Do your clients know, like and trust you? If you\u2019re wavering on the answer, Jared Correia has some suggestions for you respecting your\u00a0client communications. Busy? Listen on Attorney at Work Today.<br \/>\nThe post They Had Relations: Five Tips for Better Client Communications appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Do your clients \u201cknow, like and trust you?\u201d If you\u2019re wavering on the answer, Jared Correia has some suggestions respecting law firm client communications.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Law-Firm-Client-Communications.jpg?resize=770%2C495&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A giant cartoon pickle mascot in a podcast studio law firm communications\" class=\"wp-image-100052047\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group cust-audio-set\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"exemag-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/share.transistor.fm\/e\/ada48bce\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\">\n<h2>Table of contents<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/#h-do-your-clients-know-like-and-trust-you\" data-level=\"2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Do Your Clients Know, Like and Trust You?<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/#h-1-what-you-re-doing-now-about-technology\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">1. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about technology.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/#h-2-what-you-re-doing-now-about-client-files-nbsp\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">2. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about client files.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/#h-3-what-you-re-doing-now-about-consistent-communications-nbsp\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">3. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about consistent communications.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/#h-4-what-you-re-doing-now-about-your-team-nbsp\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">4. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about your team.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/#h-5-what-you-re-doing-now-about-referrals-nbsp\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">5. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about referrals.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/they-had-relations-five-tips-for-better-client-communications\/#h-more-law-firm-client-communications-tips\" data-level=\"2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">More Law Firm Client Communications Tips<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Other people talk about the classic maxim that people should \u201cknow, like and trust\u201d you \u2014 or something like that\u2014and that gets you business. I\u2019ve heard it attributed to <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dale_Carnegie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Dale Carnegie<\/a>, and it must appear in some business book somewhere. I\u2019ll be honest, though: I have no idea where it comes from.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">That\u2019s probably exactly how it works, though: People have to get to know you before they like you, and they\u2019ve got to like you before they can grow to trust you. But this is true of any of the relationships you\u2019ll have, business or otherwise. Now, as a lawyer, your most important business relationships are those you maintain with your clients. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">But do you really maintain those? <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\" id=\"h-do-your-clients-know-like-and-trust-you\">Do Your Clients Know, Like and Trust You?<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re wavering on the answer, I have some suggestions for you respecting your\u00a0law firm client communications \u2026 if, that is, you know, like and trust me enough to listen to what I have to say. Here are five areas you can improve in client communications.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-what-you-re-doing-now-about-technology\"><b>1. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about technology.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>You use a number of technology programs, but damned if your clients have any idea what those are. For all they know, you\u2019re rocking an astrolabe.<\/p>\n<p><b>What you could be doing.\u00a0<\/b>Clients are more educated, and thus more empowered, than they\u2019ve ever been. You know their files are theirs, and they have an inkling that that\u2019s the case, too. You\u2019ve read about data breaches. Your clients are aware of identity theft and are worried about the security of their personal information. Clients create, at least mentally, checklists when they\u2019re hiring lawyers. Increasingly, those include checks for the methods lawyers use to maintain and protect client files.<\/p>\n<p>So, explain to your clients how you manage their information. Talk about the specific tools you use, and what those tools do. Tell clients you\u2019re concerned about securing their data, and relay to them the ways you go about doing that. Go through the options you provide for accessing their data and collaborating with you. If they\u2019re accessing data through your services, explain the importance of securing their own access portals, most effectively through the use of strong, privately held passwords.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/masslomap.org\/the-intersection-of-convenience-and-care-informed-consent-for-cloud-applications\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The best way to educate clients is through the mechanism of your fee agreement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b><b>With a twist.<\/b><\/b> Some law firms use client portals, some have apps, and others provide iPads to interested clients as a primary means for accessing their case information and other law firm client communications.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-what-you-re-doing-now-about-client-files-nbsp\"><b>2. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about client files.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>You store your files <i>for-ev-er<\/i>, to the point where your clients think your middle names are Iron Mountain.<\/p>\n<p><b>What you could be doing.\u00a0<\/b>Return your clients\u2019 files to them at an appropriate time after the close of the representation\u2014check your local ethics rules. And, if you must be a packrat, then be a paperless packrat. Online storage options mean that you can create a virtual basement or garage for yourself full of old client matters\u2014as long as you\u2019re willing to pay out for that storage at increasing levels, as the years go on and the virtual redwelds pile up.<\/p>\n<p>The best way to manage all this is to create and stick to a\u00a0document management\u00a0program. Acquire client sign-off on your document retention and disposition policy when you get the fee agreement executed.<\/p>\n<p><b>With a twist.\u00a0<\/b>Return client files electronically. Save them to a branded (with your logo), encrypted thumbdrive, or let clients download the file from one of your branded collaboration portals. Otherwise, make yourself look good; you\u2019ll want your hair to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4hni4OIJXG4\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">be nicely combed down<\/a> when you make your appearance on \u201cHoarders.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-what-you-re-doing-now-about-consistent-communications-nbsp\"><b>3. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about consistent communications.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>You haven\u2019t called your client in three years. When you do, she forgets there is a pending lawsuit and initially thinks you\u2019re calling from Publisher\u2019s Clearing House.\u00a0She\u2019s very disappointed.<\/p>\n<p><b>What you could be doing.\u00a0<\/b>One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a lawyer is only talking to your clients when you need something from them or when they call to yell at you. Set up a protocol to contact your clients on a recurring pattern, just to check in. Before you call, review the case status so that you can provide a cogent update and answer any questions that may arise during the course of your conversation. The vast majority of bar complaints circle around poor law firm client communication, particularly lawyers\u2019 poor communication cycles with clients.<\/p>\n<p>I often recommend contacting clients every six weeks. And, I think a phone call is most effective. People receive enough email and texts these days.<\/p>\n<p><b><b>With a twist.<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>You don\u2019t always have to talk shop. If you\u2019re the type of lawyer who\u2019s enough into marketing that you\u2019re keeping notes about your clients beyond specific case matters, ask your client who coaches her daughter\u2019s softball team about how the squad finished the year. If your clients feel that you care about them as people, they\u2019re far more likely to like and trust you, and to remain loyal to you, too.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, that all being said, case-specific questions are bound to come up, so be prepared.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-what-you-re-doing-now-about-your-team-nbsp\"><b>4. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about your team.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>You hire people to work with you\u2014except your clients have no idea who they are or how many. You\u2019ve never introduced your team. For all your clients know, your paralegal may be a horse.<\/p>\n<p><b>What you could be doing.\u00a0<\/b>The first time you get your client into your office or on a video call, introduce everybody. Relay the functions of your staff, and talk about the ways they\u2019ll work on the client\u2019s case. Let them interact as well; allow your clients the opportunity to understand the personalities of your staff. Make them understand that you operate as a team. This will also make it easier when your staff members need to contact your clients. <\/p>\n<p>If you can reduce the \u201cwho\u201d factor, you can increase the \u201cwe\u201d factor.<\/p>\n<p><b><b>With a twist.<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>In the office, equip each staff member with a different sort of candy. As you introduce your clients around, have your staff offer their wares. Know this: People love candy. And if you have decided to place <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rolo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rolos<\/a> at each station, know that they will be your client for life.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-what-you-re-doing-now-about-referrals-nbsp\"><b>5. What you\u2019re doing now \u2026 about referrals.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>At no point during your representation of your client do you ask said client for a referral or a recommendation. When the representation ends, you do not include in your concluding letter a note respecting your willingness to receive referrals, or recommendations\u2014in keeping with your prior conduct. Your client assumes you\u2019re doing just fine, and probably now vacationing in Turks &amp; Caicos, since her matter has finished. So she refers a friend with a lucrative claim to your colleague down the street.<\/p>\n<p><b>What you could be doing.\u00a0<\/b>Gaining referrals amounts to this: <em>Ask.<\/em>\u00a0If you\u2019re not closing a successful representation with a request for referrals, you\u2019re doing yourself a disservice. The most successful practices generate the bulk of their business through referrals. And your best source is your existing clients, because they already know, like and trust you\u2014and they know and like the work you do. This makes sense from an efficiency perspective as well. Referrals are the easiest sort of marketing that you can do, because <i>someone else is selling you, for you<\/i>. You\u2019ve already laid the groundwork.<\/p>\n<p>If your state\u2019s ethics rules allow you to post recommendations, do it. Online buyers use recommendations as their chief criteria for purchasing. Think about the last time you booked a trip; a large part of determining which services you used was based on the ratings and recommendations at TripAdvisor, was it not? Your clients think the same way you do.<\/p>\n<p><b><b>With a twist.<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>The trouble most folks have in putting together recommendations is that they don\u2019t know what to say. So, the next time you\u2019re seeking a recommendation from a former client, you should think about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/ethical-considerations-in-boosting-your-client-reviews\/\" id=\"99986413\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">sending them a template recommendation<\/a> or a sample of a helpful recommendation you\u2019ve already received.<\/p>\n<p>Smart lawyers always start drafting from templates\u2014so should their clients. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-law-firm-client-communications-tips\">More Law Firm Client Communications Tips<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/seven-ways-lawyers-reduce-clients-stress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Seven Ways Lawyers Can Reduce Clients\u2019 Stress<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/client-communication-tips-the-power-of-returning-clients-calls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Client Communication Tips: The Power of Returning Clients\u2019 Calls<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/tech-tips-improve-client-communications-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Tech Tips to Improve Your Client Communications Strategy<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/client-communications-lawyer-billing-rates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Acing Client Communications: How to Explain an Increase in Your Rates<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/walking-in-your-clients-shoes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Walking In Your Client\u2019s Shoes: How Client Empathy Makes You a Better Lawyer<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile has-background\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/LLN-Logo-770-x495.jpg?resize=770%2C495&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-100042916 size-full\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tune-in-legal-late-night-with-jared-correia\"><a href=\"https:\/\/feeds.transistor.fm\/legal-late-night\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Tune In: \u2018Legal Late Night\u2019 with Jared Correia<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Jared Correia\u2019s new weekly podcast is a pop-culture-infused romp through the latest and greatest business ideas and tech tips, featuring engaging guests and constructed in the format of an old-school TV variety show.\u00a0Catch the latest on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h?si=9ea93ba230054d16\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Spotify<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/legal-late-night\/id1809201251\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube<\/a>\u00a0or your favorite app.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Image \u00a9 iStockPhoto.com. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile has-white-background-color has-background\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/subscribe\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"372\" height=\"106\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/AttorneyatWork-Logo-%C2%AE-2021-1.jpg?resize=372%2C106&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-100019522 size-aaw-full-width-no-crop\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Sign up for Attorney at Work\u2019s daily practice tips newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/subscribe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">here<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/feeds.transistor.fm\/attorney-at-work-today\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">subscribe to our podcast<\/a>, Attorney at Work Today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do your clients know, like and trust you? If you\u2019re wavering on the answer, Jared Correia has some suggestions for you respecting your\u00a0client communications. Busy? Listen on Attorney at Work Today. The post They Had Relations: Five Tips for Better Client Communications appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers. Do [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149175\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}