Client Service Is Critical

The law office of Gruber, Colabella, Liuzza and Thompson prides itself on client service.  We recognize how frustrating it is for individuals who are unable to connect with their lawyer. In fact, according to recent statistics, the number one complaint levied against lawyers by dissatisfied clients is lack of communication!

Client Service – Being Client-Centered

Although many lawyers have very busy calendars, this is no excuse for failing to engage in regular contact with each and every client.

Most of us have heard stories of people who have hired an attorney and weeks, sometimes even months, pass without hearing a single update. This lack of communication is inexcusably frustrating and our firm is committed to ensuring this is not the experience of our clients.

We at Gruber, Colabella, Liuzza and Thompson stay in frequent contact with our clients. While it is true that the law works in such a way that long delays are often commonplace we respect our client’s right to be informed. We believe we are one of the top client service law firms in NJ because of our attorney-client communication takes place even during these delays.

For those who do not know, some legal analysts divide the practice of law into two different types which we will refer to as “transactional work” and “deadline work.”

The Difference Between Lawyers’ Transactional Work and Deadline Work

Transactional work refers to legal work without a specific timetable. For example, if a lawyer is hired to write a will there really is no deadline.

Deadline work, however, as the name indicates, has specific goals that must be completed within a specific time. An example of deadline work would be defense of a criminal matter. There are deadlines set by the court for discovery, for first appearances and, eventually, for trial.

The firm of Gruber, Colabella, Liuzza and Thompson handles both “transactional work” and “deadline work.” We are a full service law firm, well-educated in the laws of NJ and able to handle all your legal needs.

Lawyer-Client Communication Best Practices

So, regardless of whether one of our lawyers helps you with a transactional matter or a deadline matter, we will communicate with you. In fact, we have an ethical obligation to do so.

The New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) sets forth attorney obligations for communication with clients in RPC 1.4,. Communication:

(a) A lawyer shall fully inform a prospective client of how, when, and where the client may communicate with the lawyer.

(b) A lawyer shall keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter and promptly comply with reasonable requests for information.

(c) A lawyer shall explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation.

(d) When a lawyer knows that a client expects assistance not permitted by the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law, the lawyer shall advise the client of the relevant limitations on the lawyer’s conduct.

These rules are not only guidelines for appropriate ethical conduct they also serve as good advice for lawyers who wish to establish and maintain a client-centered practice.

Here at Gruber, Colabella, Liuzza and Thompson, frequent and straightforward communication with clients is the foundation of our law firm’s philosophy.

Attorney Billing Practices

Given our client-centered approach to the practice of law, there is a caveat that must be noted. Most lawyers bill by the hour or a fraction of an hour. Frequent client communication can lead to larger bills. So, a balance must be struck.

Consider that if a lawyer is working on a legal matter for a client billed at an hourly rate then every phone call, every e-mail and every letter generates a billable action. Consequently, it is good practice to discuss client expectations in advance of setting a retainer. Our practice at Gruber, Colabella, Liuzza and Thompson is to ask each client what he or she expects in terms of communication.

Consequently, in order to assure frequent communication with all our clients, our firm practices an open-door policy whereby clients are invited and even encouraged to call, text, e-mail or set an appointment for a status update. Recurrent meetings between lawyers and their clients make for both a satisfied customer as well as an informed attorney.

Client Satisfaction First and Foremost

The legal profession is the butt of many jokes and often lawyers are portrayed in popular culture and the media as mercenary. However, the actual practice of law is an apprenticeship in service.  The sooner both clients and attorneys adopt this idea the better. We at Gruber, Colabella, Liuzza and Thompson are doing our part to ensure that such stereotypes are not reflective of our practice.

In order to show our dedication, we have set up the “Ask the Attorney” page where you can ask us any legal question you need to.