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04 December 2008 / Chris Parr
Issue: 7348 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Client care

Should keeping clients happy be a  law firm’s highest priority? Without a  doubt, says Chris Parr

How much of a law firm’s activity  is actually dedicated to, or  orientated primarily around, its  clients?

If partners are honest about the  answer to that question, they may find  that they are in the 40–50% range.  Consider that. Essentially, all of a firm’s  income comes from its clients; so why  would a firm not have those clients in  mind in everything it does?

The CEO of one organisation for  which I used to work (not a law firm)  once made a statement: “Do not hold  any meeting unless the primary purpose of that meeting is to add value to a  client or to the clients in general.” Th e  organisation met this with incredulity.  What about all the “administration”  meetings that are required in the life  of a company? What about budget  meetings and meetings to discuss HR  and location issues? There seem to be  many reasons to meet which do not  relate to the clients of the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Caroline Pope & Bob Maynard

Gateley Legal—Caroline Pope & Bob Maynard

Construction team bolstered by hire of senior consultant duo

Switalskis—four appointments

Switalskis—four appointments

Firm expands residential conveyancing team with quadruple appointment

mfg Solicitors—Claire Pope

mfg Solicitors—Claire Pope

Private client team welcomes senior associatein Worcester

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
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