Not surprisingly, this glut of economic troubles makes for a world of litigation. People sue their former employers, partners sue one another, divorce filings go through the roof. You get the picture and, in fact, you may be part of the picture.
That said, it's time for an important reminder of what separates you from me. When we work together, I am the attorney. By that, I mean that there are a lot of roles and responsibilities that I undertake that are entirely different than yours. I make tactical decisions, procedural decisions and I guide the litigation. It does not mean, however, that you become a shrinking violet and disappear from the scene.
Too many clients - and, worse - would be clients, don't want to be involved because they think being involved in legal proceedings of any kind removes any kind of control they have to govern their own destiny. They (or you, as the case may be) could not be more wrong.
As the lawyer, I am just the navigator of the ship. I get to decide how we get to our destination and I get to adjust our direction as we go along. You - the client- are the captain. You get to decide if we leave port, when we've arrived at our destination or whether it's time to head back.
My decisions are tactical, yours are substantive. You decide when it's time to settle or just pull the plug altogether. You decide what it is we are trying to achieve - not me.
My involvement is not a ceding of control or an abnegation of responsibility. You are to be very much involved in the decisions and your lawyer should always keep you informed of everything that goes on in your matter. In fact, the Florida Bar has a rule that says so.
So, don't view me as the guy who substitutes in for you when things go wrong. I'm just the guide who helps you get to where you want to go at the end of your trip through the legal system.
Apparently, I'm feeling very metaphorical today. See you tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment