The book is designed to be read by attorneys and provides realistic approaches to enable attorneys to use human relations skills to better serve their clients.  This book will frustrate lawyers who see clients as just ‘cases,’ and not as real human beings seeking understanding and reassurance.

Henry Ewalt, its author has had several different careers as a lawyer. He was with the National Labor Relations Board, small medium and large law firms  and was Associate General Counsel for Westinghouse and CBS.  He seems to have learned a great deal from each of them.

He speaks wisely of the various components of improved customer service in an organized and easily readable manual.  The  table of contents is helpful and informative and also lures you back to your favorite subjects.

I loved much about this book. It bespeaks a philosophy of professionalism and customer service that is never taught in law schools, rarely addressed methodically in large law firms but is of grave importance to any lawyer who wishes to have a fulfilling career and a full docket.  But for a few shortcomings, which I’ll deal with later, I wish I had written it myself.

Relations are more important

David Maister is perhaps the father of professional service firm management. His message capsulated in the slogan “The Courage to Care,” forms the subtext of Ewalt’s thoughts. The author's thesis is that the relations an attorney develops with his client are fundamentally more important than even the attorney’s legal knowledge.  Ewalt effectively dissects the subtle components of the attorney-client relationship, emphasizing that client relationship building is not just about having a happy smile and providing client dinners.

The author begins with a wake-up call to the profession to understand the nature of the attorney-client relationship from the client’s perspective.  He also preaches the potential joys of the practice. Ewalt has a love for the profession despite the misconceptions held by those who have not had fulfilling relationships with the lawyers. 

The book is peppered with precedents, draft letters, questionnaires, forms and ideas, all with the goal of improving relations with one’s clients and therefore growing one’s practice. Ewalt believes strongly in the power of precise and timely communication between lawyer and client, the necessity of educating clients as to process and procedures and involving clients in the decision-making process. Ewalt emphasizes the value of bills as a communication tool, and devotes an informative chapter to the topic. 

How to be

Ewalt exhorts lawyers to know their clients and lists the skills that lawyers need to learn how to know their clients. He provides sound directions on how to communicate with them both orally and in writing.  Rather than describe what a lawyer must do to acquire, serve and keep clients, he provides insights on how a lawyer should be.

There is an excellent chapter on law firm technology that helps both geeks and gnomes through the maze of technological choices for the modern legal office.  Ewalt offers help to lawyers to keep their clients through firm transitions and lawyer moves and when matters are referred to outside counsel .

Lacking as a coaching tool

Though I found a number of outstanding examples of good practice methods and practical and reasoned directions, I found precious little after the first chapter to inspire lawyers to make fundamental changes in the way they do business with their clients.  As a manual it is a great book. As a coaching tool it is lacking.  Ewalt does not articulate a clear and precise understanding of the various sets of professional training, personal and professional stresses lawyers face.

Were he more empathetic to professionals who do not perform up to his level of client service, he might have been able through his book to be more of an inspiration.  Lawyers can be difficult. Lawyers tend to be conservative.  They resist change and those that need most to change may not be motivated by this book to dip their toe into the renewed client relations waters.

While I agree with the author that handholding is an integral part of the professional relationship, there are many reasons beyond time constraints and impatience that make this practice difficult for lawyers. Firstly, conscientious lawyers are loath to bill their clients for a “there, there” session, particularly one that is face-to-face as the author recommends. Secondly, one must clearly distinguish between supporting your client’s enduring of the slings and arrows of the legal process on the one hand and respecting your client as a person with free will.

A gem

But overall the book is a gem.  Every new lawyer and every lawyer struggling with the practice or in need of some smart and useful ideas to grow one’s business should read it. There is wisdom in the details of this book for seasoned counsel, the inspired rookie and all lawyers in between.  Attorneys who are struggling with their tasks, or their identities or their own perception of themselves will find this book to have special offerings of chicken soup for their souls.  Ewalt has brought to the profession a book whose ideas will not only enhance the relationship of attorneys and their clients, but will also remind attorneys they can realize the professional satisfaction for which they longed as students.