Listening and the Law
Hi All,
This week we dive into a critical (but not often discussed) skill for all attorneys - listening. Being a good listener is not something that initially pops into the heads of most people when they think of lawyers. When you conjure the image of a lawyer in your mind you might think of litigators battling it out in a courtroom or lawyers trying to our maneuver each other in a large glass conference room overlooking a city scape.
As you imagine these lawyers you think about the words they choose and they way they present themselves. This presentation is critical in my areas of law. You likely are not thinking about how those lawyers are listening. But if they are truly great you can be sure that they know how to listen.
We both shared stories of how solid listening is valuable in our specific practices. Haley uses listening in her initial meetings with clients not only to gain information but also as a means to gain trust and to build a relationship with her new client. Being on the receiving end of a lawsuit can be scary and overwhelming. Yes, the information about the case that the client has is important, but what is also important is beginning to build a relationship with that new client where they feel as though their attorney is listening to them - the value of this cannot be overlooked.
Amy also talked about how she handles initial meetings with clients. She not only listens to what is being said, but also what is not being said. This allows her to ask those deep questions that get to the heart of issues that will need to be addressed in the estate plan that will eventually be drafted. She also utilizes her initial questionaaire before the meeting to get a lot of information so that the meeting can be used for discovering the issues and items that will make this plan unique to her clients.
Now that we have you thinking about the importance of listening, we are going to share five strategies for improving listening skills.
Repeat back what has been said.
This helps you to make sure that you’ve understood correctly as well as keeps you focused on listening and not forming your own response while you should still be listening.
Listen to what is not being said.
What is the other person talking about and what have they NOT mentioned? Understanding that will allow you to generate those good clarifying questions, which is the next strategy.
Ask good clarifying questions.
The ability to ask those questions can often times be where you get the most important information. Keep in mind that clients may not know what information you need.
Take notes.
A record is helpful and you can reference your notes as your discussion progresses to make sure you have all the details.
Eliminate distractions.
When someone is speaking, give them your full attention. Don’t look at a screen and don’t try to formulate your next question.
This is an important skill to develop not just in your professional practice, but in your personal life as well. Be fully present when someone else is speaking. Give them your full attention and really listen to what they are saying.
Be sure to let us know how you like these strategies and if you have any that you would like to share with us! You can find us on Instagram @lawyerswholaunch and via email info@lawyerswholaunch.com.
Have a great day!
Haley & Amy
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Please keep in mind that your jurisdiction will have rules of professional conduct that you must follow. This discussion does not focus on the any such rules, including the rules from the jurisdiction where we practice. Rather this is a discussion of tips we have found helpful in managing client expectations in our own experiences. This should not be taken as legal advice.
We make absolutely no guarantee, expressed or implied, that by following the advice you will make any money or improve current profit, as there are several factors and variables that come into play regarding any given business or career. Primarily, results will depend on the business model, the conditions of the marketplace, the experience of the individual, and situations and elements that are beyond your control. As with any business endeavor, you assume all risk related to investment and money based on your own discretion and at your own potential expense.
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