The Ethics of Post-Pandemic Client Responsiveness

"Responsiveness" is an attribute and a skill critical to a successful law practice. Yet definitions and levels of responsiveness vary considerably between and among attorneys, clients, referral sources, and potential clients. Additionally, with the increased speed at which information travels and the ways the world has changed post-pandemic, the definitions of and expectations for responsiveness have also changed - and most attorneys have not caught up yet.

For decades now, "lack of responsiveness" by attorneys is well-known as one of the top reasons clients stop using their lawyers and move their work to another lawyer or law firm. Lack of responsiveness is also a top reason that potential new clients choose not to hire a certain lawyer – i.e., if the potential client perceives the lawyer they contacted did not respond to them in a timely manner, they are most likely to move on to another lawyer. Most attorneys want to avoid these problems but are still taking too long to respond.

Attend this program, taught by top-rated legal industry presenter and consultant Julie Savarino, if you are interested in understanding how clients think about and define responsiveness today, and learning ways that individual lawyers and law firms can level up their responsiveness game.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore what the ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.4 and corresponding state rules require and do not require from lawyers

2. Define the terms "reasonable"/"reasonably" and "prompt"/"promptly," including common expectations  and differing perspectives (e.g., attorney, client, referral source, and potential client)

3. Identify numerous, specific ways lawyers and law firms can become more responsive in a meaningful and measurable way