How to Rein In Emotional Clients

2. Return Phone Calls or E-mails Within 24 Hours

Do yourself and your clients a favor: Set parameters on the time that is theirs, respect it and respond accordingly, and they will respect the time that is yours. Most clients are sifting through psychological rubble as their divorce case moves on; you are their lawyer and their guide through this process. Respond to them promptly and help them relieve some of their emotional stress by answering their questions.

3. Teach Clients to Be Their Own Filters

After explaining the parameters, some clients may respond, “But what if I really need you?” Tell them that if it is a true emergency, they either need a physician or a police officer ' someone that can really help them. Clients may be upset initially, but they will understand and appreciate someone grounding their reality. Most clients learn to distinguish when something is truly an emergency requiring immediate legal action and when it is not. And that leads to better communication all around.

Lisa Shapson is a family law attorney with Berner Klaw & Watson, and co-chairs the divorce/equitable distribution committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Family Law Section. This article also appeared in The Legal Intelligencer, an ALM sister publication of this newsletter.

As family law attorneys, we must strive to rein in our emotional clients. Not everything is an emergency. In fact, most things that family law attorneys face are not emergencies, but it is hard for our clients to realize this because their situations are very much so for them. Here are a few basic practice rules when dealing with clients:

1. Walk a Day in Their Shoes

A family law matter, and particularly a divorce, is like an atomic bomb exploding in the middle of the client's universe. Different people experience different levels of harm, but in essence, their entire world is shattered. It is important to keep that in mind every time clients panic. Try to empathize with their situation. Be understanding about their concerns, but explain to them the legal pros and cons of whether pursuing that emergency petition is the right thing to do. Patiently explain that filing a petition is not always going to resolve the situation in a favorable way. It may also help to describe the ballpark costs involved in filing the petition so that the client can determine whether the costs justify the likely outcome. The bottom line here, though, is to never undermine the degree of emergency with which a client has labeled his or her situation ' even if you do not think it is a big deal.

2. Return Phone Calls or E-mails Within 24 Hours

Do yourself and your clients a favor: Set parameters on the time that is theirs, respect it and respond accordingly, and they will respect the time that is yours. Most clients are sifting through psychological rubble as their divorce case moves on; you are their lawyer and their guide through this process. Respond to them promptly and help them relieve some of their emotional stress by answering their questions.

3. Teach Clients to Be Their Own Filters

After explaining the parameters, some clients may respond, “But what if I really need you?” Tell them that if it is a true emergency, they either need a physician or a police officer ' someone that can really help them. Clients may be upset initially, but they will understand and appreciate someone grounding their reality. Most clients learn to distinguish when something is truly an emergency requiring immediate legal action and when it is not. And that leads to better communication all around.

Lisa Shapson is a family law attorney with Berner Klaw & Watson, and co-chairs the divorce/equitable distribution committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Family Law Section. This article also appeared in The Legal Intelligencer, an ALM sister publication of this newsletter.