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South Carolina Family Law Blog Information and Insight On Family Law Issues In South Carolina

What Lawyers Appreciate

By J. Benjamin Stevens on Posted in Attorney-Client Relationship

Andrew Flusche of LegalAndrew.com tagged me to participate in the "lawyers appreciate" countdown.  Here goes my contribution…

Lawyers appreciate and need the following three things to be successful:

  1. Excellent Clients:  The best clients are the ones who cooperate with their attorney, have realistic expectations, and pay their bills in a timely manner.  If you’ve ever had a client without these characteristics, you will appreciate your "good" clients that much more.  If a client does not have at least two of these characteristics, ask yourself why they are your client.
  2. Excellent Staff:  It is imperative to have an experienced and responsive staff who can complete tasks, respond to client concerns, and work well with others (both their attorney and their co-workers).  Your staff can make or break your practice, and when you find a good worker you shoud do what you can to hang onto him/her.
  3. Excellent Ideas:  Of course, attorneys must have legal knowledge in the areas that they practice.  However, what makes an attorney exceptional is the ability to think creatively and innovatively.  Not only can fresh thinking result in new ways to solve clients’ problems, but it also looks for new ways to incorporate technology to improve your practice.

I strive to maintain these three elements in my practice.  I am very selective about which cases I take, and if I probably pass on as many cases as I take these days.  I am very fortunate to have an excellent staff who has been together for several years now.  One thing that differentiates me from other attorneys is the way that I think through cases from all sides, and I strive to "out-think" my opposing counsel in every case.

Thanks to Andrew for tagging me to participate.  The "lawyers appreciate" countdown asks that its participants tag three more people to participate, so I’m tagging Michael Sherman of the Alabama Family Law Blog, Jeffrey Lalloway of the California Divorce and Family Law, and my good buddy, Dave Swanner of the South Carolina Trial Law Blog.

  • tara

    My son is 11 years old. He is supposed to have regular visitation with his father. His father is almost never present at these visitations. My son cries to come home everytime he is there. At what age,if any, can he decide for himself if wants to go to his dads and how do we do this?

  • Shelly Martin

    Does a father file for child custody in Florida where he curretly resides with the child OR South Carolia wherein the child was born, the child’s mother resides, however is currently elisted in the service/National Guard?

  • Mari

    My ex is a foreign born national with a green card valid till 2014. He has not strong ties to the US and is a MAJOR flight risk to his native land which has no lateral agreements to the U.S. to return children that are taken to this country, are not part of the Hague Convention for Abducted Children, and will not allow my child to leave (should he get her there) without his written consent.
    His attorney – is asking for a final hearing to get the judge to FORCE me to sign a passport to allow her to go to an Islamic country – based on a corporate bond that my ex puts up prior to going.
    I am BAFFLED!
    This country – should she be allowed to go – will not allow me to have her back (yes, I have primary custody). They do not view our laws, do not adhere to ANY custody laws from the U.S. and should I want to get her back – I must live in this foreign land (that neither my daughter or I speak the languages) for a term of 1 year before attempting to regain custody or visitation rights to her.
    Anything anyone can recommend? I never knew a judge could have SO MUCH power over our children to even consider sending them to a 3rd world nation with no phones, no rights to the custodial parent, etc.
    Can anyone recommend a good attorney?

  • JULIE BURANY

    Hi Counsel
    My name is JULIE BURANY . I am a contacting your firm in regards to a divorce settlement
    with my ex husband ( Mr Scott Burany) who resides in your jurisdiction. We had a negotiated
    settlement for him to pay $796,500.00 plus legal fees and He has only paid me $32,000 since.
    My ex husband has informed me that he is going to make the payment next week basically
    because of the urgency of my son’s heart operation but on the condition that the payment
    must be through my legal counsel’s trust account who will also act as witness to this
    transaction.
    I am currently in Japan for my son’s heart surgery and i am hereby seeking your firm to
    assist in collecting the sum of $298,500.00 from him as he has agreed to pay me by next
    week.
    I want you to let me know your retainer fees immediately for further proceedings
    because I am urgently in need of money for my son’s health.
    Sincerely,
    JULIE BURANY
    Email: julieburany231@googlemail.com