One of my favorite attorney-clients represented a building owner who was being sued for more than $20 million dollars. Negligence was asserted due to a substantial crack in the sidewalk that resulted in the fall of a 30-year-old man. The gentleman died 27 days after the fall as a result of a subdural hematoma.
Certified Legal Nurse Consultants engage in a variety of communications with a variety of people. We discuss cases with our attorney-clients, CLNC subcontractors and attorney-prospects. The key to having an effective conversation is not just listening, but also engaging and knowing when to end. One of the Institute’s customer service representatives told me about the time he spent almost an hour speaking with a prospective CLNC consultant. He listened to her talk about her life, family and dissatisfaction with her current nursing position. They talked about legal nurse consulting and the freedom it provides and they just talked, but according to Evan, he did a lot more listening than talking.
Talking with Certified Legal Nurse Consultants and CLNC students, I sometimes hear things that take my breath away. The most recent incident occurred when a student asked whether or not she could cite Wikipedia in her work product.
While attending the NACLNC Conference I was reminded to keep marketing even when I have cases. Vickie’s conferences always get me motivated and ready to go! When I got home still revved up, my thoughts turned to how to get our CLNC business on more attorney’s radars. I started hearing on the news about one of our local active DA offices. This DA seemed to attract a lot of media attention. The idea hit me that maybe we could help! I talked with my partner, JoAnn, about volunteering to do a case. Giving back to our community would benefit the DA’s office and we would continue to build our CLNC skills.
I was mentoring a CLNC consultant who is working with a new managing partner at one of the law firms she consults with. This law firm is her biggest client and she’s always worked well with the prior managing partner. He trusted her and pretty much gave her free reign in just about everything she did, from budgeting for cases to the work product she produced. From her point of view, it was a perfect relationship.
Krista M. Bradley, RN, BSN, CLNC, shares that her cousin, a fourth year law student, learned about the CLNC Certification in law school, wrote a paper about it and recommended – at a family party – that she become a CLNC consultant. Krista also shares that she received her first case from another attorney even before she completed the CLNC 6-Day Certification Seminar.
Jennifer Craigmyle, RN, CLNC shares how, on an attorney’s recommendation, she flew from California to Georgia, to become a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. The attorney who recommended that she get certified as a CLNC consultant also gave her two cases as soon as she returned home from the CLNC 6-Day Certification Seminar. Jennifer shows yet another example of how attorneys are recommending the CLNC Certification and rewarding nurses for obtaining it!
I have spent the last two years recovering from an illness that kept me from working on my legal nurse consulting business. During that time, I have lost contact with my attorney-clients. Is it too late to revive those business relationships?
Successful CLNC consultants see opportunities where someone else might see only a problem. For example, one Certified Legal Nurse Consultant testifies for three law firms. They are so impressed with her that they want her and only her. She thinks she has a problem, while I see an opportunity.
I recently mentored a CLNC student, Joanne, who shared that she was terrified of contacting and interviewing with attorneys. A few probing questions got to the heart of the fear. “I’ve spent 30 years being invisible at the hospital with no one listening to me or respecting what I have to say about patients. Now I’m supposed to walk into an attorney’s office and suddenly feel good about selling myself.”
*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.
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