Building your law firm’s reputation is crucial to your practice; reputation shows potential clients exactly the kind of firm you are and what they can expect if you’re hired. And now, as legal marketing becomes more and more saturated in the digital age, building a reputation that resonates with clients can be what sets you apart from other attorneys and helps ensure clients hire the best lawyer for their case.
On a recent episode of the Un-Billable Hour podcast, nationally recognized truck accident attorney David W. Craig was interviewed by host Christopher Anderson. In the episode, David discusses how he built his reputation as an attorney, the value of hiring a team that lives up to your reputation, and the benefits of empowering potential clients as a form of marketing.
Building a Reputation Through Authority
David’s main concern has always been doing the best work he can and learning as much as possible to improve his skills as an attorney. He found that the best way to build a reputation that clients can trust is by exhausting every resource to further establish his expertise. Even if an attorney is considered an expert by those in the field, that doesn’t mean they can’t continue to improve. To David, this dedication is what creates a solid reputation.
In an age where consumers are seeing constant legal advertising, improving your expertise can help you create a reputation as an authority in a specific area of law. While many lawyers market by simply saying they are the best, David instead shares his knowledge with consumers to help empower them. He has done this through his podcast, After the Crash, which supplies information about truck accident law and the trucking industry, and his two books, Semitruck Wreck: A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney.
His philosophy is not to sell something to clients, but instead to keep them informed so they can take back their power. In doing so, you have helped them without ever being hired as an attorney. But the most important part is to do it for the right reasons and the desire to help people, regardless of whether they hire you or not.
Creating a Team That Lives Up to The Reputation
In the early days of a practice, David finds it’s natural to look at an employee’s productivity and focus on the income they’re generating. However, that doesn’t mean they are the best fit for your practice and your clients. When you have employees who are great with clients, but are toxic to the rest of your team, it can bring down the team as a whole.
One of the best ways to combat potentially hiring someone that isn’t the best fit for your firm is by hiring slowly. In David’s experience, hiring slow gives you the opportunity to get to know them and see how they work with the rest of the team. When bringing on new attorneys, David prefers to hire law clerks while they’re in law school and then later employ them as attorneys once they have their credentials. Through this method, David ensures he already has an idea of work ethic before hiring a new lawyer. Although this is a slow way to grow, it can be better for retaining those attorneys in the long term. Furthermore, the attorneys you bring into your firm help to set a precedent for the company’s reputation. If your attorneys are the right fit and the rest of your team emulates that, it sets an example for the new employees you bring in.
While there will always be employees who aren’t suited to your firm, there are ways to monitor performance with clients. David tracks client satisfaction using multiple methods. The first is a client satisfaction survey sent every six months or every quarter. This allows David and his employees to receive feedback directly from clients, and they typically name who is doing well and who is not. These surveys also have high response rates, and clients are told from the start that the firm will reach out to them.
Another method is the use of a client navigator, which is a position within the firm that is different from a paralegal. The client navigator sends gifts to new clients and communicates with them frequently to ask for feedback. If something is unsatisfactory, clients can speak with David and provide their perspective. Employees also need to meet a certain number of positive reviews, and if clients aren’t willing to leave a good review, that says a lot about performance.
The firm also has a volunteer-based “dream weaver” committee, where staff inform the committee if a client is going through a challenging time — struggling with a death, had a baby, and more. Then, the committee organizes an appropriate response, like a gift or gift card.
Each of these combined methods creates a reputation that tells clients you care about them and want to provide them with the best possible experience while working with your firm. Ultimately, client satisfaction is crucial to crafting a reputation of trust and integrity that sets you apart.
Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
David W. Craig is a nationally recognized truck accident attorney. He is also the managing partner and one of the founders of Craig, Kelley & Faultless, a personal injury law firm headquartered in Indianapolis. Craig, Kelley & Faultless can be contacted at (888) 253-5198, and additional information can be found on the firm’s website or on Facebook and LinkedIn.
He is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help
Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys.
Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.
Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.
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