Why don’t people trust lawyers and does it really matter?
I just read an interview of the authors of a new book, "The Trusted Advisor's Fieldbook: A Comprehensive Toolkit for Chief with Entrust." In this sequel to, "The Trusted Advisor," Charles Green and Andrea Howe present tools and exercises for helping lawyers earn the entrust of their clients.
Visibly, this is an vital theme. After all, clients hire attorneys they "know, like, and entrust" and if your clients don't entrust you, or don't entrust you sufficient, there will either be a strain on your relationship or no relationship at all.
Matt Homman, who conducted the interview, questioned the authors, "What questions were you expecting [in interviews] and haven't yet been questioned? How would you answer them?" Green said a question they haven't been questioned is, "Why don't people entrust lawyers? And is it a bum rap?"
Green said it's not a bum rap, people generally don't entrust lawyers.
I agree. But then I started thinking about this issue of entrust and wondered how vital it really is. People don't entrust lawyers and yet they hire lawyers every day.
And then I thought that not innocent lawyers may really be a excellent business. For clients, lawyers, and all else.
For lawyers, living in a world where people generally don't entrust you gives you an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. You can show why you can be trusted and you don't need to do a lot to accomplish this.
We need to show clients:
- We know what we're doing,
- We're not going to rip them off, and
- We'll do our best to help them.
This is not hard. Share some tales, look them in the eye, patiently answer all their questions, and you're half way there. And if you were referred to the client, you've rounded third base and are headed for home.
Once you're hired, show clients you know what you're doing by doing it, don't rip them off, and do your best to help them. Oh, and return their calls.
Be a mensch. People will entrust you (and your mother will be proud).
Okay, this is overly simplified, but the truth is that earning entrust isn't extremely hard, and it is really made simpler because of the pervasiveness of distrust. A small effort on your part will go a long way.
A general distrust of lawyers is also a excellent business for clients. If people innately distrust lawyers, won't they be inclined to question more questions before hiring one?
It's when people are too innocent that they get hurt. It's when they don't question sufficient questions or seek sufficient assurances that they get into distress. (I don't reckon Bernie Madoff had a law degree but you get the point.)
And let's not forget "the other guy's" lawyer. Not innocent the other side's counsel is nearly always a excellent business.
Okay, people don't entrust lawyers, this is a excellent business for clients, and lawyers can stand out from the crowd and earn their clients' entrust without a lot of effort.
So, what's the problem?
Now, if we can only do something about those damned lawyer jokes.