Get Out and Retie the Connection Over Fried Oysters and Seafood Gumbo
I recently got together with one of my oldest attorney-clients over some fried oysters and seafood gumbo. Now I’m not talking about his age, but about how long we’ve worked together. He was my first attorney-client when I started my legal nurse consulting business.
I’m crazy busy – but I always make time for important relationships and fried oysters. Especially relationships with well-respected attorney-clients who helped me pay my mortgage! Our relationship goes beyond business. Over 27 years we’ve developed a deep friendship and a relationship built on mutual trust and respect. He’s always been the best at what he does and, lucky for me – he feels that I’m the best at what I do, too.
As a tribute to Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, every time we get together he tells me that I must be doing a good job of training you. He shares that he sees reports and work product prepared by other legal nurse consultants and can always tell which ones are certified through LegalNurse.com and which ones aren’t. I thought you might enjoy hearing that, yes, attorneys can tell the difference and they hire accordingly.
Congratulations to all of you when I relate his comment that, “None of those others even come close to matching your CLNC® graduates!” I’ve heard these beautiful comments from him more times than I can count, and when I heard them again the other night, I was all in for the tab and even ordered a second glass of wine (plus dessert).
When was the last time you retied a connection with an attorney-client over a lunch or dinner? If someone’s important in your business or your life, you owe them more than a funny birthday card. Get out and get them out. Even if he or she doesn’t have a case for you (or bring one to dinner) it’s a great opportunity to strengthen the relationship, to learn who else is litigating what, catch up on latest news and maybe meet the new partners and associates if you stop by the office. A personal recommendation to an associate attorney will go far when it’s made face-to-face.
Just remember to pick up the tab (but if they offer, hey why not!) and make sure you pick a place that’s not too time-consuming (you’re both crazy busy) or too cheap (no Denny’s unless it’s his favorite). You can even offer to drop by with lunch and just eat some great deli in the conference room. The connection is what’s important – not the meal, although I’ll take fried oysters over Denny’s any day.
Success Is Inside!
P.S.Comment and share how you retie the connection with your
attorney-clients.
P.P.S. Have you retied the connection with your executive assistant today?
3 thoughts on “Get Out and Retie the Connection Over Fried Oysters and Seafood Gumbo”
My practise is definitely crazy busy because of establishing close relationships. I’m having martinis next week with my oldest attorney client-we’re about to take the nursing home negligence case to trial (my first case, only 4 months after certifying!). We try to meet once a month if possible. She’s treating this time, I’ll get her next month!
I tell my family and colleagues almost every day that I would not know how to meet and exceed my clients expectations without you and your mentors. My greatest compliment so far is from my newest client, and one of Montana’s premier trial attorneys (many awards; $10 mill).
I took in Christmas baskets and walked out with a case to screen in the next 48 hrs (med mal, about 1000 pages). I repeated your mantra “Of coarse I can do this for you” (working 10 hours the next day at the hospital)! He was so pleased with the brief report he gave me “a gold star”.
I am now working on the report for the medical-legal panel. When I read his “claims against medical care providers” I was thrilled. He had used my report verbatim in his claim!!That is the highest compliment I could receive…and you deserve all the credit for preparing me so well. The education and systems you teach us, and that continue well beyond the initial coarse are invaluable.
When I receive info on new standards or other relevant material, I shoot an e-mail to FYI the attorney-client’s right hand person. I use the opportunity to place feelers for more cases. The paralegal appreciates the info and my name comes up at the office.
In addition to re-tying relationships with the attorneys, I find it is equally important to remember the gate-keepers! One of my biggest clients has a receptionist who loves to garden– so when I was dividing water plants from my pond this past spring, I e-mailed Jody to ask if she would like some. I ended up taking her water iris, lotus, and elephant ears plants (with planting instructions- historically she has kind of a black thumb!) and she was thrilled. She mentions my name to the 3 attorneys in the firm and reminds them of what cases to send me. I am busier than I have ever been, and my income had now exceeded my husband’s (he is definately Ok with this!!)
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The National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (NACLNC®) is the largest and oldest association of legal nurse consultants.
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*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.
My practise is definitely crazy busy because of establishing close relationships. I’m having martinis next week with my oldest attorney client-we’re about to take the nursing home negligence case to trial (my first case, only 4 months after certifying!). We try to meet once a month if possible. She’s treating this time, I’ll get her next month!
I tell my family and colleagues almost every day that I would not know how to meet and exceed my clients expectations without you and your mentors. My greatest compliment so far is from my newest client, and one of Montana’s premier trial attorneys (many awards; $10 mill).
I took in Christmas baskets and walked out with a case to screen in the next 48 hrs (med mal, about 1000 pages). I repeated your mantra “Of coarse I can do this for you” (working 10 hours the next day at the hospital)! He was so pleased with the brief report he gave me “a gold star”.
I am now working on the report for the medical-legal panel. When I read his “claims against medical care providers” I was thrilled. He had used my report verbatim in his claim!!That is the highest compliment I could receive…and you deserve all the credit for preparing me so well. The education and systems you teach us, and that continue well beyond the initial coarse are invaluable.
Thank you so much Vickie!
When I receive info on new standards or other relevant material, I shoot an e-mail to FYI the attorney-client’s right hand person. I use the opportunity to place feelers for more cases. The paralegal appreciates the info and my name comes up at the office.
In addition to re-tying relationships with the attorneys, I find it is equally important to remember the gate-keepers! One of my biggest clients has a receptionist who loves to garden– so when I was dividing water plants from my pond this past spring, I e-mailed Jody to ask if she would like some. I ended up taking her water iris, lotus, and elephant ears plants (with planting instructions- historically she has kind of a black thumb!) and she was thrilled. She mentions my name to the 3 attorneys in the firm and reminds them of what cases to send me. I am busier than I have ever been, and my income had now exceeded my husband’s (he is definately Ok with this!!)