We want to give you the very best representation that we have to offer at Delk & Tomlinson. Being a good client allows us to give you the best representation we can while saving you time and money. Here are our top five tips for being a good client and saving yourself money:
1. BE HONEST – From the very first consultation to the last modification of your case, you must be honest with us. We have heard it all, from the good to the bad, to the ugly, there is nothing you can tell us that we haven’t heard. We are not here to judge you. We are here to help you! We are on your team. We cannot effectively represent you if you choose not to be honest with us. We promise that you would much rather we hear it for the first time in our office, rather than in court. If we know all the facts in advance, we can strategize and prepare you for all possible outcomes.
2. BE ORGANIZED – This is one of the biggest money-saving tips that we can offer to you. The most important area of your case that requires organization is the discovery phase. The more organized you are, the less time we must spend deciphering discovery responses and paperwork, which saves you money. No one hires an attorney to sort through their bills, bank records, or receipts – you hire us to represent you. The more you can do on your own to prepare for the case, the less money you spend. Some examples might include typing out discovery responses and sending them to us in a digital format. That way, you aren’t paying an attorney to be a glorified secretary. Other examples include gathering medical records so that we don’t have to subpoena them, labeling and organizing any paperwork required during discovery, or printing out screenshots of text messages and labeling them by date.
3. BE EFFICIENT WITH QUESTIONS – Sometimes, you must speak to your attorney. We are always available to our clients through phone and email. However, there are some things that our Office Manager/Gatekeeper, Amy, can help you with. It is much more cost-effective to ask Amy non-legal questions, such as “Has my wife responded?”, “When is my hearing?”, or “I got served with papers, do I need to come in and speak to my attorney?” Most of the time she can answer your question quicker than we can. If you ask Amy a question that she cannot answer, she will pass your call along to one of us.
4. BE ACCESSIBLE – As your attorneys, we must be able to get in touch with you. Things come up during family law cases that require immediate attention or a quick response. You should be sure that we always have a good working phone number and address for you. You do not want to miss a court date or not receive an order because you forgot to notify us that you moved or changed your phone number.
5. BE AWARE – We need you to be aware of all aspects of your life during the process of divorce or a child custody issue. In your personal life, be aware of what you do, where you go, what you say, and what others say to you. There is always someone watching, or even potentially recording, the things you do and say during these types of cases. Being aware of what others say to you may also place you in a better position to help us prepare for your case.
Overall, while dealing with your case, just remember to breathe. There might be times in this process that the other side may say something untrue, or another party may do something wrong. Please remember: your attorney is on your side. Don’t kill the messenger. Simply be aware that this is a process that takes time, but we will get through it together. We know that this is a tumultuous time for you and we understand when clients get frustrated, but there is a plan and you WILL get through it. Using these five tips will help make this process much easier on you, your wallet, and allow us to give you the best representation possible.