4 Tips for Lawyers to Provide Exceptional Client Service

Building a client-first experience from start to finish is one of the most effective ways to set your firm apart. While some practices prioritize volume, aiming to open and close as many cases as possible, law firms that focus on personalized service often deliver a more memorable and meaningful client experience. The right case management solution can make this easier by streamlining client intake, enabling seamless communication, offering secure document sharing, and supporting convenient online payments.

In this short video from our Virtual Legal Seminar, attorneys Audrey Gay Ehrhardt and Danielle Miller discuss why timely, intentional communication is critical for building client trust and scaling your firm without losing the personal touch.

Below, we’ll go through a few foundational best practices for delivering client-first service, along with four actionable tips (and the technology to support them) to help your firm deliver exceptional outcomes at every stage.

Best Practices for Lawyer-Client Service

Standard practices that all law firms should provide during client correspondence include:

• Lend a listening ear: As the first step in delivering excellent client service, listen to your client’s story to understand the needs of their situation. A clear understanding of the client’s particular situation will help your firm work toward their desired outcome and enable lawyers and clients to lay the foundation for a professional relationship.

• Provide a plan: During the consultation, guide clients through the legal process and provide a descriptive outline of what your firm can do to help resolve their situation. This should include your firm’s general strategy, how fees are calculated, communication expectations, and an estimated timeline.

• Maintain strong communication: Once you sign a client, keep them informed about their case at all times. As you receive information and updates, relay them to your client in a timely manner. Even if there hasn’t been progress, continue to communicate with them on the reasons for delays or hold-ups. Proactively soliciting your client’s feedback for your firm can also help uncover ways to improve and grow

How Can Law Firms Deliver Exceptional Legal Client Service?

Exceptional service starts from the initial consultation and legal client intake. Those relationships are built by identifying and meeting expectations, issuing strong communication, and providing a positive, seamless client journey.

Each client, case, and matter is different, and anticipating client needs can be difficult. Take a look at your client’s journey. Has it been mapped out? Does each step of the journey meet the client’s needs? Are any adjustments needed? Understanding client needs, communicating them to all staff involved, and meeting those needs throughout the case will position your law firm in the exceptional category. This translates into a higher likelihood of positive reviews and increased referrals.

4 Tips for Excellent Lawyer Client Service

Providing exceptional lawyer-client service is much easier when you clearly define expectations, integrate communication and software tools, and form professional relationships with clients. Here are a few best practices for implementing an excellent legal client service experience:

1. Provide Seamless Communication

According to the American Bar Association (ABA), effective client communication is an ethical duty for lawyers. Providing easy, seamless communication can relieve some of the stress your client is inevitably facing. Utilizing a client portal can help lawyers provide a one-stop hub for clients. For example, with MyCase’s client portal, attorneys can:

• Quickly communicate with clients with unlimited text messaging

• Securely share important dates, documents, and case reminders

• Create and share invoices and financial statements

• Get paid without collecting credit card numbers

2. Be Responsive from Initial Intake to Case Closure

According to research from the ABA, 42% of the time, lawyers take three or more days to reply to a voicemail, email, or web-generated form filled out by a prospective client. In our MyCase Legal Industry Report, which surveyed over 2,000 legal professionals, 50% of respondents claimed that lead intake was challenging.

Delayed responses can result in poor client feedback, lower conversion rates, and negatively impact your firm’s reputation.

Establish responsiveness early on and continuously throughout the client journey. For instance, with MyCase’s customizable intake forms with conditional logic, you can create and templatize intake forms to fit each appropriate practice area.

Once the prospect decides to move forward with your services, offering eSignature capabilities provides a quick and convenient way to finalize onboarding documents. By creating a seamless intake and onboarding experience, your firm can create a positive experience from the start.

3. Increase Efficiency with Online Payments and Automation Tools

Managing a law firm and juggling multiple clients involves time-consuming day-to-day tasks. It’s easy to fall behind on client communication, billing, and other vital needs. Providing online debit, credit, and eCheck payment options makes it easy for your clients to pay their bills—while your firm gets paid instantly. In addition, seamless workflow automation can streamline some administrative work that often bogs law firms down.

4. Empathize With Clients

Empathy breeds connection and trust. Carl Rogers, the founder of the client-centered therapy movement, defines true empathy as sensing “the client’s private world as if it were your own, but without ever losing the ‘as if’ quality.” Many clients will not have an in-depth understanding of the legal process, but their case or matter is personal to them. Show clients that you understand their priorities, concerns, and needs.

Achieve Outstanding Outcomes with MyCase

Implementing a client-first approach increases the likelihood of happier clients, stronger rapport, and firm success. Clients will be much more likely to return and recommend your services—leading to valuable testimonies, reviews, and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

Learn more about how MyCase’s automation and communication technology can streamline your client’s journey from new prospect to future referral by downloading our “5-Star Legal Services” e-book.

And if you’re ready to see how MyCase can help elevate your client services firsthand, try a risk-free 10-day free trial.