by Traverse Legal, reviewed by Enrico Schaefer - April 30, 2007 - 'The Greatest' Philosophy
Lawyers have become so myopic that they often forget how much knowledge, information and expertise they really have. We get to see the inside guts of so many companies. We see were companies succeed and fail. Too often, we focus only on the legal problems without expanding our efforts to understand the business process that allowed those problems to happen. We have been talking a lot recently about value billing. Really, we have been talking a lot about value. The word "billing" gets tagged on in order to describe one aspect of what value-based law firms provide.
Many lawyers are well equipped to add value on the legal and business side of company problems. Those lawyers should remember to sell problem solving on the back-end and front-end as part of their overall solution.
For instance, a client refers to you a number of large receivables on corporate accounts. The receivables are over 180 days past due. Sure, the lawyer can send a threat letter and file litigation in order to collect that debt. A better lawyer would also dig into the process which allowed that debt to exist in the first place.
We offer legal and business solutions to our clients. Because of our technology background, we are able to show clients how to use technology to improve and document their internal process. I can tell you from experience that clients see a lot more value in the preventative services we offer, then the corrective services. Improving a client’s /customer’s internal process provides real tangible results in which preclude problems from arising in the first place.
Sure, lawyers are good problem solvers. But a great lawyer will help his/her client from experiencing the problem in the first place.
Is your firm acting as a business advisor to your customers?
As a founding partner of Traverse Legal, PLC, he has more than thirty years of experience as an attorney for both established companies and emerging start-ups. His extensive experience includes navigating technology law matters and complex litigation throughout the United States.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorney Enrico Schaefer, who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing Business, IP, and Technology Law litigation attorney.
