[blindlaw] meeting with clients

[Craig Borne]

I agree; it really depends.

In much of my estate planning work, I have either emailed or snail-mailed a
client questionnaire to fill out, which contains much of the information
that I am seeking.  This allows me to review the questionnaire (assuming it
is completed before the meeting) and developing questions before the
consultation.  If not, then I use an outline of the questionnaire as a guide
in conducting the consultation.  I take notes with the computer, but
sparingly.  I sum up the objectives occasionally and return the conversation
to the client's goals constantly.  This helps me grasp the client's main
goals and objectives, while helping me focus my questions.

In more complicated estate or business law work, I will have an assistant or
another attorney sit in on the consultation to take notes, especially if
that attorney will be working on that matter with me.

Clients have not minded either approach yet.  As long as I pay more
attention to their needs then to my computer or assistant/partner, then we
form a good client/attorney relationship.

I thought about tape recorders before I started practicing, but this proved
too much of a hassle.  It was easier (and the client seemed to appreciate
it) to phone the client a day or two after the consultation to "fill in any
gaps" that I may have in my notes.

Craig

Craig Borne, Esq.

Ostendorf Zimmer Yake & Borne, LLC

Attorneys at Law

Office: (410) 529-2040 

Facsimile: (410) 574-6884            

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Russell J. Thomas
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 9:29 AM
To: 'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] meeting with clients

How about a very definitive answer -- it depends.

If I am having an initial meeting with a potential client, I will usually
have my assistant take notes on a laptop.  This let's me interact with the
potential client without having to pause to write my own notes.  It also
gives me a detailed record of the meeting, rather than relying upon any kind
of summary.

In the past, especially for short meetings, I have used a slate and stylus,
although now I do this less often since I am in the early stages of carpel
tunnel; nearly sixty years of the slate and stylus is catching up with me.

In a word, use whatever best suits your individual needs.  Never be afraid
to use any type of adaptive equipment in the presence of a client; we are 
who we are. 



-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Craig Spencer
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 2:18 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] meeting with clients

Hi every one:

I was just wondering how do members of this group efficiently handle meeting

with clients and taking a record of what took place in the meeting i.e note 
taking/recording....

At what point do you utilize your support staff?





Thanks Craig

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