SAN DIEGO
Volume 146, 2015 • $6.95
Quick Tips for Finding the Right Blog Topics for Your Law Firm
Guy Loranger
Making Video Work for Your Firm
How to Make Alternative Fee Arrangements Work for Your Law Firm
Rob Fulton
Stephen Fairley
Stop Treating Your Website Leads Like They’re Referrals
Dos and Don’ts of Representing Your Brand
Tanner Jones
Ashleigh Walker
RISING STAR OF THE MONTH
Melissa J. Deleon of CASEY GERRY, San Diego Love of Law: A Way of Life
Attorney of the Month Jassim & Associates, San Diego
Pajman Jassim
Holding the Principle of People First Above All Else
2015 EDITION—NO.146
TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 How to Make Alternative Fee Arrangements Work for Your Law Firm
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by Stephen Fairley
10 Making Video Work for Your Firm
by Rob Fulton
12 COMMUNITYnews
EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brian Topor
16
EDITOR Wendy Price CREATIVE SERVICES Skidmutro Creative Partners
16 Jassim & Associates Plantiff’s Representation for Real People with Real Problems
CIRCULATION Angela Watson
by Jennifer Hadley
PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Griffiths
WEBMASTER Mariusz Opalka ADVERTISING INQUIRIES info@AttorneyJournal.us SUBMIT AN ARTICLE Editorial@AttorneyJournal.us OFFICE 30211 Avenida De Las Banderas Suite 200 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 www.AttorneyJournal.us ADDRESS CHANGES Address corrections can be made via fax, email or postal mail.
RISING STAR OF THE MONTH
22 Melissa Deleon Love of Law: A Way of Life
STAFF WRITERS Jennifer Hadley Bridget Brookman Karen Gorden CONTRIBUTING EDITORIALISTS Stephen Fairley Rob Fulton Jennifer Hadley Tanner Jones Guy Loranger Ashleigh Walker
ATTORNEY OF THE MONTH
by Jennifer Hadley
26 Dos and Don’ts of Representing Your Brand by Ashleigh Walker
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29 Quick Tips for Finding the Right Blog Topics for Your Law Firm by Guy Loranger
30 Stop Treating Your Website Leads Like They’re Referrals by Tanner Jones
Editorial material appears in Attorney Journal as an informational service for readers. Article contents are the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of Attorney Journal. Attorney Journal makes every effort to publish credible, responsible advertisements. Inclusion of product advertisements or announcements does not imply endorsement. Attorney Journal is a trademark of Sticky Media, LLC. Not affiliated with any other trade publication or association. Copyright 2015 by Sticky Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without written permission from Sticky Media, LLC. Printed in the USA
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aw firms are under increasing pressure from clients to reduce costs and justify expenditures, and alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) are rising to the challenge. While AFAs aren’t exactly a new concept to the legal industry (estate planning and criminal defense attorneys have been offering them for years), they are now becoming more prevalent in other practice areas, such as family law, corporate law and business litigation work.
How to Make Alternative Fee Arrangements Work for Your Law Firm by Stephen Fairley Two-time international bestselling author Stephen Fairley is CEO of The Rainmaker Institute, LLC, the nation’s largest law firm marketing company specializing in marketing and lead conversion for small to medium law firms. Over 10,000 attorneys nationwide have benefited from learning and implementing the proven Rainmaker Marketing System. Over the last 12 years, he has become a nationally recognized legal marketing expert and been named, “America’s Top Marketing Coach.” He has spoken numerous times for over 35 of the nation’s largest state and local bar associations and has a large virtual footprint with his highly successful Rainmaker legal marketing blog and has over 150,000 followers on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For more information, please visit www.TheRainmakerInstitute. com or call 888.588.5891. 6
Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
It’s a major shift for a profession that has historically been married to the billable hour. If we go all the way back to 1958, it was the American Bar Association’s Special Committee on Economics of Law Practice (who probably adopted the idea from somewhere else) that first recommended the billable hour approach. Since, it has been widely adopted and deeply entrenched in the legal industry. But the global financial crisis brought with it significant changes for everyone, including law firms, which have responded in a resounding way. In fact, according to Altman Weil’s 2014 Chief Legal Officer Survey, nearly 60 percent of corporate counsel have put AFAs in place in an attempt to control their legal department costs. Last year, AmLaw 100 labor and employment firm Jackson Lewis made headlines when it announced that it would be eliminating the billable hour for its associates in 2015. Firm chairman Vincent Cino told American Lawyer, “The billable hour is directly opposed to the best interest of the client and to the provider of service because by its very nature it adds an artificial barrier to the accomplishment of the only real objective, which is a quality legal product for a set and expected price.”
COMMON OPTIONS FOR AFAS Budget-conscious clients now have an endless array of options—fixed fee, phased fee, collared fee, value fee, holdback, contingent fee, blended rate—for just about any legal service. The majority of firms I work with are small to mid-sized firms. Many have been early adopters of AFAs because consumers today know what they can afford and will not tolerate an open spigot. Today’s legal services market, with all its options, demands transparency in pricing and this is one genie that is not going back in the bottle. In fact, some of these early adopters have turned AFAs into a competitive advantage, hinging their legal marketing efforts on their fee flexibility. Here are six common options for AFAs: Flat /fixed fees. One of the most common AFAs is the fixed or flat fee arrangement, even though it is probably one of the
most difficult for firms to get right. To be successful with fixed fee billing, firms need to conduct research into their case files going back at least a year or two in order to arrive at pricing that will protect profitability. North Carolina divorce attorney Lee Rosen is a strong believer in fixed fees and provides good advice for making the switch at his Divorce Discourse blog (DivorceDiscourse.com). He transitioned his firm to fixed fee billing a few years ago, when the idea was truly a radical one (it still is in family law), and his revenues and profitability soared… after overcoming some major internal obstacles. Fixed fees can be staged according to specific phases of a case using a limited scope agreement or encompass an entire legal matter. This type of AFA works best when the case has a clearly defined beginning, middle and end. Contingent fees. Prevalent in personal injury law, the firm’s fee is contingent on the results obtained for the client. It’s attractive to clients because it is shared risk and reward. However, since predicting successful outcomes in other fields tends to be problematic, it is not used much in other areas of practice. Morgan & Morgan, who markets themselves as “the largest contingency-fee law firm in the country,” offers full-service business litigation on a contingency basis. According to their website, this includes all forms of commercial litigation, real estate litigation, construction, employment law, IP litigation and many others. Certainly, this will put pressure on competitors. Reverse contingent fees. A reverse contingent fee ties firm compensation to the avoidance of liability exposure. It can be effective for experienced attorneys who can accurately gauge case value and potential damage awards in their jurisdiction. Percentage fees. A percentage fee is based on the transaction amount, and can be graduated or constant, depending on the case type. The percentage fee is commonly used for estate administration or probate, and is generally capped by the court. Capped or collar fees. This common alternative to the billable hour involves a client paying a set hourly rate with a capped amount. The client and the firm then agree on a percentage to be reimbursed if the firm exceeds or falls below the capped amount. Blended rate. A blended rate is a blend of the hourly rates for associates and partners working on a case and typically works best for cases that are complex and time-consuming. However, since it is still technically a billable hour—albeit at a more predictable rate—it does not help clients achieve predictability in legal expenses. In the end, the successful implementation of AFAs depends on mutual trust between a firm and its clients. Whether that trust emanates from a long-standing relationship or is forged in a good-faith negotiation of an alternative fee arrangement, it is foundational to AFA success. Of course, one of the often overlooked benefits of AFAs is the creation of trust and goodwill—the client understands that the firm is incentivized by results instead of spending more hours and the firm understands it will be fairly compensated for achieving those results. It’s a win-win for both sides, and can be a key component in client retention and referrals.
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS BEFORE YOU SET YOUR PRICE Key Performance Indicators—KPIs—are quantifiable measurements that help you gauge the progress you are making toward realizing the critical success factors for your law firm to flourish. Some examples of typical KPIs for law firms include: • The amount of money you need every month to make payroll and keep your doors open. • The number of new clients you need to bring in every month to be profitable. • Your average profit margin per client. • The types of cases that produce the highest profit margin. • The percentage of people who visit your website and end up calling your office. • The percentage of prospects that call your office and then come in for a free consultation. • The percentage of prospects that come in for a free consultation and become clients. To be useful to you, your KPIs must reflect the goals of your organization and they must be measurable. Done correctly, KPIs will help you determine what you need to charge to achieve and maintain profitability. Your KPIs provide the critical data you need to drive good decision-making. To learn more about the metrics your law firm needs to track and measure, as well as how to set up a system to identify these numbers, I invite you to watch my free training webinar, “Key Performance Indicators: Know the Numbers That Run Your Law Firm.” You can access it at: www.mylawfirmmarketing. com/knowing-the-numbers-sm/.
HAVING THE PRICING CONVERSATION WITH CLIENTS Rosen says—and I agree—that talking to clients about money should be like breathing. It’s something you need to do all the time. Most attorneys shy away from the money conversation because they think it is a poor reflection on their reputation if clients don’t automatically get the value they are providing and are willing to pay for it. That is nonsense. Most clients are not experienced in legal matters and are unsure how to value your services. You must educate them. You need to become comfortable with having pricing discussions at the initial consultation as well as other areas as necessary. You want them to feel informed about what they are spending. Transparency here is the goal. This helps eliminate surprises on both sides and gives your clients better insight into the value they are truly receiving for your services. Don’t save the money talk for after your bill goes unpaid! By then, it is almost too late to establish value in the client’s mind. Instead, make it your practice to understand each client’s needs and tailor a pricing strategy to meet those needs. Done right, a tailored pricing strategy can become a competitive advantage for your firm and differentiate your brand in the legal services marketplace. n Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
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Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
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MAKING VIDEO WORK FOR YOUR FIRM
by Rob Fulton by Rob Fulton
H
ow much do you stand to lose if you fail to communicate your message properly?
Attorneys are constantly sending different messages to different audiences. It may be sending a message to a potential client that your firm is the right fit for them. At mediation, it’s important to explain to the carrier the true case valuation. Attorneys send their jury a much more complex message. It’s important that others are able to comprehend and engage with the message your firm is trying to communicate. There are a variety of tools for a variety of purposes. While video is a great tool for some needs, it’s not going to be the only tool. The purpose of video is to create an emotional tie between the viewer and the material. There are three common areas where video can really make your law firm stand out. 1. Web Videos for Marketing 2. Settlement Documentaries/Day-In-The-Life at Mediation/Trial 3. Deposition Testimony
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Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
WEB VIDEOS The utility of a web video in 2015 is no secret. When prospective clients are researching law firms, they don’t want to read 100 company descriptions. It’s much easier for the potential client to digest information contained in a video. There are three main video types when producing video for a website and social media platforms. • Head and Shoulders/Talking Head—This is the simplest and cheapest option, involving a simple shot of someone talking to the camera. • Traditional Firm Overview—This is a standard web video which introduces people involved in the firm and why the firm is different from others. • Conceptual Firm Overview—If you want a more creative video, this is one to consider trying. Usually the attorney has an idea for a video which will distinguish them from videos by other firms. To see an example of each option at work, visit: www.AJSample1.com.
SETTLEMENT DOCUMENTARIES/DAY–IN– THE–LIFE VIDEOS The damages in a case are economic and non-economic. Economic damages are easy to determine. Save medical receipts and lost wages, then add them up. Non-economic damages are a bit trickier. How does one prove noneconomic damages? The key thing to think about while trying to demonstrate non-economic damages is contrast. It is vitally important to emphasize the difference between your client’s life prior to the event, and your client’s life now. In our experience, there are two ways to easily show this contrast: • Settlement Documentary • Day-In-The-Life A Settlement Documentary is an all-inclusive presentation, which presents liability and/or damages to an adjuster or claims committee at or prior to mediation, for the purpose of resolving a claim. It is a visual microcosm of the case, as it would be presented at trial. The elements therein will generally be court admissible – with the exception of the witness statements, reflecting the testimony that will be given at trial. The witness statements are not conducted with the intent of being shown to a jury, and therefore are generally not discoverable. A Day-In-The-Life video is a court-admissible collection of video clips, usually admitted into evidence during the testimony of a spouse or caregiver. It is intended to illustrate the struggles of the plaintiff in everyday life. The presentation typically does not include any pre-recorded commentary. It is narrated live from the witness stand. Because the material is shot with the intent of being shown to a jury, the unedited camera tapes are generally discoverable and must be shot with great care. You would be surprised just how effective a video can be at mediation and trial. It really is the best way to show exactly how your client’s life has been changed and why the value of the case needs to increase.
DEPOSITIONS The third way for a law firm to leverage the effectiveness of video is depositions. Transcripts serve well in having the facts at hand and are searchable; however, the written word does not resonate very well at trial. It is important to keep the jury engaged and able to connect with the witness. The easiest way to bring a witness to life is by using a high-quality legal video production team to capture and edit his or her testimony to an easily consumable video.
It’s important to make sure you know who’s producing your videos. If your production company isn’t offering some of the newest video techniques, the jury is going to have a hard time staying engaged. Make sure you’re being offered the following: • High Definition digital image • Neutral background spotlights your witness • “Network News” lighting techniques • Stereo, studio-grade audio You can use text synchronization to show the video along with the transcript. Studies have shown that viewers are able to understand material when they hear and read the content at the same time. If there are important exhibits, you can use two cameras in the deposition for either split-screen or picture-in-picture. One can stay on the witness as they look at an exhibit, while the other can show the exhibit itself. To see an example of what your depositions can look like when you hire a professional legal video production company instead of having the videographer chosen for you; visit: www.AJSample2.com.
CONCLUSION I hope this article has been of some service to you. Stop leaving money on the table and start using video to create that emotional response that will help your client get what they really deserve. There are two very important things to always keep in mind when you’re thinking of working with a professional video production company: 1. Insist upon seeing samples of a video company’s work, and compare. 2. When you talk to a company, what kind of ‘vibe’ do you get? Do you have chemistry with them? Just as all law firms are not the same, all video production companies are not the same. Make sure that your firm is working with a high-quality video team that knows what your message is and the best way to tell it. The difference can be significant in your client’s compensation. n Rob Fulton is the founder of Image Resources, an Emmy award-winning legal video production company. Since 1994, Image Resources has produced settlement documentaries around the country and helped attorneys recover of over $1 billion for their clients. They also produce web videos, dayin-the-life presentations and video recorded depositions. For more information, visit www.i-r.com.
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COMMUNITY news n Deborah Dixon, a senior trial attorney with Gomez Trial Attorneys, has been elected to serve as president of Lawyers Club of San Diego for 2015-2016. Her one year-term began July 1. DEBORAH DIXON Lawyers Club is a volunteer bar association founded in 1972 with the mission to advance the status of women in the law and society. The organization now has more than 1,300 members, making it the second largest bar association in San Diego County. Its membership is comprised of female and male attorneys, judges, elected officials, business owners, law students and others in the San Diego community who share Lawyers Club’s mission and goals. Dixon was Lawyers Club’s Vice President of Programming and has been a member of the board of directors for three years. She has co-chaired several committees, including the Membership, Annual Dinner, and Golf committees, and has been an active member of several committees including the Judicial Election Endorsement Committee and the Fund for Justice. As president, in addition to leading the 15-member board, Dixon will make appointments to more than 30 committees, ad hoc and liaison positions; oversee the organization’s activities and events; and work with representatives from similar organizations regionally and nationally to advance Lawyers Club’s overall mission. “If Lawyers Club is anything, it is an instrument to enact social justice – not just a voice, but a choice to make change,” Dixon said. “We have to remember that Lawyers Club is here because of the need – the need to ensure that women advance equally and the need for all of us to join as a community and stand together in a united front for advancement.”
n Based on feedback from more than 12,000 San Diegans, Fisher & Phillips LLP is pleased to announce Regina Petty was nominated for inclusion in The Daily Transcript’s list of Top Attorneys for 2015. Petty, partner at the San Diego office, was nominated within the labor and employment law category. Petty successfully argued Jones v. The Lodge at Torrey Pines Partnership in 2008 before the California Supreme Court, a case noted on REGINA PETTY Bender’s California Labor & Employment Bulletin’s top ten list of most significant cases and trends for the Fair Employment and Housing Act’s 15th anniversary. She has been named one of the Los Angeles Daily Journal’s Top 75 Women Litigators in California multiple times and one of The Daily Transcript’s Top Ten attorneys in both the labor and employment and business litigation categories. She is also a past faculty member for the American Bar Association TIPS Trial Academy and for the IADC Trial Academy. Petty is a recipient of the San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award and she was honored by the Stanford University Black Community Services Center with its Legacy Award. She is “AV” Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed in San Diego Super Lawyers every year since its inaugural issue. n Fish & Richardson announced today that five Southern California attorneys are among the 46 attorneys from its 11 U.S. offices selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2016. The five Fish principals selected as Best Lawyers in the Southern California office, located in San Diego, are: Justin Barnes, Intellectual Property (IP) Litigation and Patent Litigation EIE; Juanita Brooks, IP Litigation, Patent Litigation, and White-Collar Criminal Defense; Roger Denning, IP Litigation and Patent Litigation; John Thornburgh, IP Litigation and Patent Litigation; Jason Wolff, IP Litigation. Fish’s Southern California office has a world-class clientele, including Microsoft, Adobe, Callaway Golf, and Fresenius Medical Care. The firm’s litigators have been recognized as among the nation’s elite, and its patent lawyers have obtained groundbreaking patents.
Have a Press Release you would like to submit for our Community News? Email it to PR@AttorneyJournal.us 12 Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
JUSTIN BARNES
JASON WOLFF
COMMUNITY news
DARRYL SOLBERG
PAUL ROBINSON
DAVID BAGLEY
n Three lawyers with Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley LLP have been designated among the Best Lawyers in America© for 2016 in a total of six practice areas. Paul E. Robinson was also named the 2016 San Diego Land Use and Zoning Law “Lawyer of the Year.” The selections were made based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation involving thousands of leading lawyers throughout the United States. In addition to Robinson, the HechtSolberg attorneys being recognized are Darryl O. Solberg for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law and Real Estate Law, and David W. Bagley II for Real Estate Law. n Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek is pleased to announce that David L. Stone, Esq., an associate with the firm, has joined the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center of San Diego County (JCC) Board of Directors. The JCC connects the community to Jewish heritage, identity, experiences and values to ensure the continuity and vibrancy of the Jewish community by promoting physical and mental well-being and providing a rich array of stimulating and innovative social, cultural, educational, and recreational programs DAVID L. STONE. ESQ. and services. The JCC is a hub of Jewish life in San Diego that boasts the largest Jewish day camp in California, the largest Jewish preschool in San Diego, and is a cultural source for all ages by providing meeting locations for thousands of projects and programs. During his board tenure, Stone will work with the JCC to implement planning strategies to guide and enhance the agency’s future and ensure its programs continue to grow for generations to come. Active in the San Diego Jewish community, Stone also serves on the Audit Committee of the San Diego Jewish Academy. n Timothy Earl, a shareholder of the law firm Sullivan Hill Lewin Rez & Engel, was selected as a San Diego County Top Attorney for 2015 in Insurance Coverage by the San Diego Daily Transcript. Earl is the chairman of Sullivan Hill’s Insurance Coverage Practice Group. His insurance coverage practice involves representation of policyholders and insurance companies in a variety of insurance coverage disputes primarily involving property damage or bodily injury arising out of construction defect and TIMOTHY EARL asbestos claims. He represents policyholders and insurers in breach contract, declaratory relief, bad faith, unlawful business practices and Insurance Code Section 11590 claims. Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015 13
Law Offices of Anna R. Yum Former Prosecutor and Award-Winning Trial Attorney National TV Legal Analyst Avvo Client’s Choice Award for Criminal Defense Attorneys in 2013, 2014, and 2015 DUI Drug Offense Domestic Violence Sex Crimes And many more Perfect 10.0 Rating on Avvo Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2015 The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers Referrals Paid 619-233-4433 annayumlaw.com 501 West Broadway #700. San Diego, CA 92101
14 Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
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Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015 15
Jassim & Associates: Plaintiff’s Representation for
REAL PEOPLE with REAL PROBLEMS by Jennifer Hadley
IN
Pajman Jassim Holds the Principle of People First Above All Else.
our country, so much is controlled by money and power, including the power of the government. Lawyers who represent people in the courtroom, in jury trials, have the power to fight against enormous billion-dollar companies and to achieve justice for real people who otherwise have no voice. In the end, this is what I love about being a lawyer—helping those people who do not have the power to help themselves,” says Pajman Jassim, Founder of Jassim & Associates located in Emerald Plaza in downtown San Diego. “We serve our clients, not just the bottom line. We truly care about the outcomes for each and every client and case, and make sure the client is happy with the results,” he continues. To that end, the clients and cases that Jassim and his colleagues take on include injury cases, employment cases of all types, and general civil matters including construction litigation, real estate disputes, family law matters, professional negligence, trust and estate litigation, and others. However, Jassim is incredibly forthcoming when explaining that he adheres to a quality over quantity practice philosophy, and is therefore selective about the cases he and his team will take. “I believe everyone deserves representation and legal counsel, but not every client is the right fit for every attorney, and vice versa. For that reason, just as prospective clients are selective about the lawyer they choose, we try to be selective about our clients as well. The goal is to be as certain as possible that we are the right firm for the case, and that the case fits within our ideals as attorneys.”
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Bar none, those ideals that Jassim holds closest to his heart, and the principles that guide him in his practice are the belief that his primary responsibility is to be the best lawyer he can be. “As a plaintiff’s lawyer, I have been taught to first and foremost care about the client. To determine why the harms and losses suffered by a particular client are worthy of representation, and most importantly why their story should matter to a jury. After all, if I don’t care, why should a juror take time out of their life and care about my client, much less give them some justice?” “No case is perfect and I believe that no client is perfect. Accidents and unfortunate things happen to regular people, with regular lives, with regular histories and life stories. I’ve been taught to embrace the entire story of a client’s life and to use their story as a tool to obtain justice for them.”
ROOTS OF PASSION FOR PLAINTIFF’S WORK Jassim’s desire to help others has been a part of who he is for as long as he can remember. Similarly, his dedication to ongoing educational opportunities—whether through attending the prestigious Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College, learning from his peers through collaboration, or even learning from his opponents—is in his DNA. “I was raised in a household that placed an enormous amount of importance on education. My parents were born and raised in Iran, and came to the United States in the early 1970s. My father worked his way up from being a busboy to
ATTORNEY
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Jassim with his associate attorney, Nathan G. Batterman
a restaurant owner and entrepreneur. I believe that since my parents worked so hard to raise my brother, sister and me here in the United States, we were given opportunities to receive a great education,” Jassim says. “My father is and was a scholar in his own right, collecting books, writing many articles and now books. Ideas flowed freely and I was raised in an environment where no idea, paradigm, or point of view’s ‘truth’ was taken for granted. There was a lot of debating in our household. I had no interest in science, architecture, engineering or other careers besides law. As far as I can remember, I wanted to be an attorney. I embraced the fact that in law you must advocate for a position and your interpretation of how the facts and law may be favorable to your client,” he explains. “Growing up, some would say I was argumentative and tended to challenge some of the rules and guidelines that my childhood authority figures had in place. I was a bit of a loud-mouth,” he concedes sheepishly. “Law is a good career for that. If you aren’t afraid to challenge authority, you can do well.”
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After earning his degree in Economics from UC Berkeley, Jassim immediately entered the University of San Diego School of Law, graduating in 2003. He quickly earned a position as a litigation associate at a small firm, which he credits with getting him right into the action of the courtroom. “I was thrown to the wolves a little bit,” he laughs. Still, he wouldn’t change his early experiences for anything. “Working at smaller firms has a unique advantage. I was in court as soon as I passed the bar. My first cases were all throughout California including San Francisco, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange County, Los Angeles and Federal Courts throughout the state.” He is candid when saying, “It was overwhelming to try complicated civil matters in courtrooms so early in my career. But it taught me very early on about the pressures and the skills required to be a great litigation and trial attorney.” In the years that followed he continued to represent business clients and individuals in injury and employment matters, and by 2009, he found himself invited to attend Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College. From there his passion for plaintiff’s work multiplied exponentially. By the next year, Jassim says there was no way that he could continue to practice law the way he felt driven to practice law, if he stayed with the firm he’d been with for five years. “I had great relationships with numerous clients at the firm where I was practicing, but after seven years in civil practice, I decided that the best way to serve clients and achieve my ideal practice was to establish my own firm. It would allow me the discretion to help any client I wanted in a manner that served the client. I would have the freedom and ability to accept cases that I believed in, and to decline those that I did not believe were well suited for me,” he says sincerely.
EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION, COLLABORATION WITH COLLEAGUES “I didn’t advertise my new practice or try to take clients from my previous practice with me. I felt that would be unfair to the firm that I was a part of and helped build. So, when I started I had no clients and no employees. I had always believed that the best advertising for a lawyer is to be a great lawyer. That means being a compassionate attorney, an accessible attorney and taking the time to explain complicated legal issues in a clear and simple manner so your clients have the ability to understand and provide meaningful input into their case,” he explains. Jassim found that the strategy worked. Successes in his first few cases led to referrals to many others. Today, more than five years later, Jassim is still focusing on injury cases, employment
raves about the civility and general friendliness of the entire San Diego legal community, citing opponents as an additional source of inspiration and support. “I get a lot of referrals from fellow attorneys who practice in other areas. For example, many of my friends are criminal defense attorneys, and estate planning attorneys. Every year we happily pay out thousands of dollars to fellow lawyers who refer us cases. Throughout my years in practice, referrals have turned out to be a large part of our business, and we are happy about that. I don’t think there’s a higher compliment than a referral. It means other lawyers are confident in your abilities and that they would hire you themselves.” Finally, Jassim also says that the ability to brainstorm with his wife, personal injury attorney Parisima Roshanzamir, has been invaluable in seeking justice for his clients. “It is great to have your life partner understand the nuances of being an attorney and sharing ideas about cases. We chose not to work together, because we wanted a divide between our law practices and our personal life, and neither of us wanted to wind up being the other’s boss,” he says with a laugh. “I can easily say however,
Jassim with his wife and personal injury attorney, Parisima Roshanzamir.
©Bauman Photographers
cases and consumer matters, and maintains his core conviction that “it is absolutely essential for clients to know their lawyer is a sincere advocate and protector of their interests. I don’t think there’s anything worse than a lawyer who is lukewarm towards their client. Most people don’t need a lawyer every day, so when they do, it means that something significant occurred in their life and they need your help. You have to give everything you’ve got to help that person. To me, that is a great lawyer.” Jassim certainly gives everything he’s got to his clients, whether he is helping a person who has been injured or helping an employee who has been wronged. “As a civil litigator and business litigation attorney I’m not aware of any attorneys who also have a deep interest and desire to represent individuals in employment and injury matters. By the same token I’m not aware of any of my colleagues in the Plaintiff’s bar that handle the variety of business and general civil litigation cases that I do,” he says. Yet he sees striking similarities between the employment and injury cases in particular. “The most rewarding cases always involve representing an individual or family who’ve suffered some harm. Attorneys cannot undo the terrible things that our clients have endured, but we can fight to have life’s tough problems turned into something positive or at least make things more equitable or comfortable,” he says. When it comes to that fight, Jassim is quick to give credit to his fellow attorneys in organizations such as CASD, CAOC, and fellow alumni from Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College. “There have been a number of times that I’ve teamed up with another lawyer, from TLC. I know that they have been trained the same way and will handle the cases with the same level of commitment, creativity and dedication to the client. Last year, for example, I teamed up with a mentor of mine, Benjamin Bunn, on a significant brain injury case, and I always reach out to fellow trial lawyers across the country to brainstorm and work on cases. In this day and age, if you want to give your client the best chance at justice, you have to use every resource at your disposal. Often that means picking up the phone and talking to other lawyers no matter where they are, and teaming up with them if the case calls for that,” he says. “As trial lawyers, a lot of us are in small firms, but through Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, and Consumer Attorneys of California, we can band together, so it is as if you have a huge firm backing you. We are out here protecting often single human beings, members of our community, and we are sending a message to large corporations that it is not ok to be careless, or to break the rules because you put profits before the personal safety of the community,” he says. But Jassim doesn’t single out his fellow trial lawyers in the Plaintiff’s bar for supporting him, and his clients. Instead he
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Contact: Pajman Jassim Jassim & Associates www.jassimlaw.com pjassim@jassimlaw.com 402 West Broadway, Suite 1120 San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 630-2680
©Bauman Photographers
EXPERIENCE
that more than once her perspective has made me view a case in a different light.” Regarding the future for Jassim, and his growing team of attorneys, paralegals and office staff, suffice to say, that all signs point to continued growth and victories. Jassim has already been named a 2015 Super Lawyers Rising Star, in addition to being selected as one of San Diego’s Best Attorneys 2015 by San Diego Metro magazine. Likewise, he was named a Finalist in the Rising Star Category for the San Diego Business Journal’s 2015 General Counsel Awards. He maintains a perfect 10.0 Avvo Rating and was named a 2015 Avvo Clients’ Choice winner. With recent wins including a rear-end auto collision for $2 million, an illegal and unfair practices by the nation’s largest bank case surpassing $700,000 in recovery, and construction defect cases, commercial real estate cases and medical malpractice cases with awards or settlements in the six figures, Jassim is not only optimistic about the future of his firm, he’s excited about the opportunity to help more and more plaintiffs. “We just moved into our new office at Emerald Plaza. I see the new courthouse being built every day and I’m truly excited to be literally at the center of all of the action. We have the experience and expertise to handle a variety of civil matters. We are focused on representing real people with real problems in their fight against insurance companies and large corporations. If I can advance a client’s life someway after a harm is done, it is a small silver lining for them. It is not my goal to operate a large firm for the sake of having a large firm or prestige. It is my goal to achieve great results for deserving clients.” n
» EDUCATION • University of San Diego School of Law, Juris Doctor, Law, 2000 – 2003 • UC Berkeley, Economics, 1998 – 2000
» AWARDS • Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2015 • Avvo Rating, 10.0, 2015 • Winner, San Diego’s Best Attorneys Awards, San Diego Metro magazine, 2015 • Finalist, Rising Star category, General Counsel Awards, San Diego Business Journal, 2015
» ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS • Member, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, 2015 • Member, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2015 • Member, American Association for Justice, 2015 • Member, State Bar of California, 2015 • Member, San Diego County Bar Association, 2015 • Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association, 2015 • Member, Orange County Bar Association, 2015 • United States District Court: Southern, Eastern, Central and Northern Districts, 2015 • United States Circuit Court of Appeals: 9th Circuit, 2015
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Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
THOMAS E. SHARKEY Mediator Arbitrator Special Master Discovery Referee
Experience Counts 50 years as an Active Trial Lawyer 20 years in Alternative Dispute Resolution Personal Injury | Products Liability | Professional Malpractice Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith | Securities | Aviation Business/Commercial Matters | Real Property To schedule, please contact one of Mr. Sharkey’s case administrators at Judicate West. (619) 814-1966 Judicate West | 402 West Broadway, Suite 2000 | San Diego, CA 92101
MISSION LEGAL CENTER AWARD WINNING PERSONAL INJURY TRIAL ATTORNEYS All Types of Personal Injury Matters. Wrongful Death • Brain Injuries • Auto Accidents Over 20 Years of Combined Experience. We have helped thousands of clients and their familes. REFERRALS PAID
MissionLegalCenter.com David@MissionLegalCenter.com (619) 564-4455 2515 Camino Del Rio South, Ste. 350 San Diego, CA 92108
Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
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Love of Law: A Way of Life by Jennifer Hadley As the newest attorney to join the renowned plaintiff’s firm Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, LLP (CaseyGerry), Melissa Deleon is absolutely living out a dream. “I truly have the heart of a plaintiff’s lawyer. I started clerking for a personal injury attorney in law school and this area has been my only focus for the duration of my career. I love it because I love people, and I love learning their stories. Being a plaintiff’s attorney is an opportunity to help people who are often at their lowest. We stick up for people in a way no one else can. Nothing fires me up more than a wrongdoer unwilling to take responsibility for their conduct, or who determines that a person’s suffering is unworthy of compensation,” Deleon says. For former full-time journalist Deleon, the opportunity to join CaseyGerry and work alongside some of the most accomplished attorneys in the personal injury practice in California has only bolstered her passion for helping those who have been harmed through no fault of their own. “CaseyGerry is a very special firm. This firm is historical. We were the first plaintiff’s firm in San Diego. We are also one of the few firms dedicated exclusively to personal injury law,” she explains. But beyond that, Deleon says, the firm has embraced and sought out diversity amongst its team of attorneys and staff, which resonates with Deleon, who is proud to be extraordinarily active in the Filipino community.
Professional Goals Become Personal “Three of the most recent attorneys to join the firm are women of color. The partners recognize the value in shared perspectives. They welcome our ideas and value our opinions. When I first became licensed and had my own caseload, I was surprised at how few females I encountered. Lawyers should be representative of all people. This helps build trust in our legal and judicial system,” says Deleon. All the same, she recalls, “My first year out [of law school], there were times I felt that I was the odd man out in a courtroom or deposition setting. I looked around and thought, ‘Where are the lawyers who
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look like me?’ There seemed to be a lack of diversity and very few women. There were moments I felt very aware and selfconscious of my bar number, gender and ethnicity. Eventually, I just took ownership of this. There’s value in being new and bringing new ideas to the table,” Deleon says. Concurrent with an “unconventional” start to her legal career, in which Deleon spent a few years working for several different personal injury solo practitioners on a project basis, while simultaneously marketing herself and generating her own business, she took complete ownership of not only her career, but of blending her professional life into her personal life. “I really enjoyed the variety of personalities I worked for and seeing how different practitioners worked up their personal injury cases. I had a lot of valuable and fun opportunities to be involved on some very righteous cases,” she explains. Continuing, she adds, “I also discovered the Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego (FALSD) and found another female Filipino attorney in litigation. She became my mentor and eventually one of my closest friends,” Deleon says. The
©Bauman Photographers
Rising Star
Melissa Deleon
“
discovery was invaluable, and Deleon launched herself into action in the San Diego Filipino legal community with everything she had, eventually becoming President of FALSD. She also became a member of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association, serving on its leadership team. “I can’t count the number of cool opportunities I have experienced because of the Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego and National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA). There is so much momentum in the Filipino community and I’m honored to be a part of it. Earlier this year, I attended the NFALA midyear conference in Las Vegas. About 25 Filipino lawyers from all over the country attended to discuss our mission, growth and goals. There is a real sense of family within NFALA. Filipinos are not associated with the legal profession and we hope to change this perception,” she says. “California has one of the largest populations of FilipinoAmericans in the country and here in San Diego, the Filipino community is the second largest ethnic group,” she says. In addition to her work with FALSD and NFALA, Deleon is a
director on the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce. She also contributes articles to San Diego’s local newspaper, Filipino Press, which also happens to allow her to continue to nurture her journalism roots. Lastly, Deleon was appointed to the advisory council for the Philippine Honorary Consulate of San Diego, and this month she attended the White House Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders’ official celebration of Filipino History month, which was an invitation-only event. “It is very humbling to be asked to serve as a representative for a community that means so much to me,” says Deleon. “My parents were both born and raised in the Philippines. They had modest beginnings, and are very accomplished people. My dad served in the Navy for 25 years and retired as an officer. My mom is a small business owner. They raised me with a sense of being very proud of our background and culture, and I am eternally grateful for that.” The Filipino community is also undoubtedly equally proud of Deleon. In her five years of practice, her work has
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leaders in their 20s. In 2015 she was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star and received a “Top Hat Rising Star” award by the Philippine American Business & Development Association.
©Bauman Photographers
Labor of Love
Camille Guerra, Melissa Deleon and Angie Jae Chun
already resulted in the accumulation of awards and distinctions that impress even tenured attorneys. In 2011 and 2013, she was named a Top Young Attorney by the San Diego Daily Transcript. In 2014 she was named a Top Young Influential by the San Diego Daily Transcript and
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was named to the Best of the Bar by the San Diego Business Journal. She also received the San Diego County Bar Association’s “Outstanding Service By a New Lawyer Award” and the Business Journal’s “Emerging Leaders” award, for being one of San Diego’s top 25
Deleon credits her accomplishments to sheer passion for her work, along with a natural drive to succeed. “I’m a bleeding heart. I meet with new clients who have just lost family members or suffered catastrophic injuries. I’m not afraid to hug them, console them, shed a tear with them. This does not preclude me from being a professional, gathering the necessary information and explaining the process. It’s important to me that our clients know they are in competent hands. It is equally as important to me that they know their lawyer is moved by their experience and has heart,” she says. Indeed, Deleon resolutely refuses to try to be something she is not. “I’m known to crack a joke at my own expense, and I love getting to know new people. Maybe it’s my journalism background, but I am so interested in the story behind every person. This idea of being open and engaging with everyone around me—I extend this to colleagues, clients and even opposing counsel. This profession tends to be stoic. I’m not. I infuse my personality into my practice. This does not mean I do not work hard. Hard work, preparation and diligence are essential. But in my view, in order to be the best lawyer and most effective advocate, I have to be my genuine self,” she says. Deleon’s ability to seamlessly blend her professional life into who she is as a person, has resulted in an attorney who is incredibly enthusiastic and immediately likeable, which, coupled with her track record of success, undoubtedly helped her earn her position at her dream firm. “I was a longtime fan of the firm for years. I
Contact Melissa Deleon Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP www.caseygerry.com melissa@gclaw.com Tel: (619) 238-1811 110 Laurel Street San Diego, CA 92101-1419
©Bauman Photographers
EXPERIENCE
was given valuable advice early in my career: if you get the opportunity to sit down with someone you want to work with, you have to ask for what you want. It seems simple, but it’s not always intuitive, and may not feel comfortable,” she says. Certainly for Deleon, however, the rewards were more than worth the risk. “Years ago I sat down with a partner at CaseyGerry, gave my elevator pitch and asked them for consideration now or in the future. Now here I am, and the caliber of cases that I’m able to work on is incredible. The cases that come in the doors of this firm are unbelievable. Our clients have lost people they love, and there is nothing about our relationships with our clients that is even remotely clinical. We care about them as people, and we know that we can never replace what they have lost,” says. “What we do is our way of helping to get some form of justice for the victims. It is a noble practice, and I’m thankful that we are here for the people who need us. The talent and expertise of the lawyers in an inclusive and collaborative environment have created the recipe for success at this firm. We’re friends, colleagues and teammates. All of the attorneys in the firm eat lunch together once a week to exchange ideas and feedback about cases. The incredible recoveries speak for themselves. My job now is just to continue to work as hard as I can to fight for those who need my help.” n
» EDUCATION • San Diego State University, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, 2007 • California Western School of Law, 2010
» LEADERSHIP • San Diego County Bar Association Ethnic Relations & Diversity Committee, Vice-Chair, 2015 1/2 Page AdLeader, 2015 • National Filipino American Lawyers Association, Affiliate • Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, 2015 • Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego, President, 2012-2014, Secretary, 2012, Director, 2011 • Philippine Honorary Consulate of San Diego, Advisory Council, 2015 • Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego, Board of Directors, 2011-2013
» ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS • • • • •
Consumer Attorneys of San Diego American Association for Justice American Bar Association Scholar Lawyers Club of San Diego San Diego County Bar Association
» AWARDS • Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2015 • Philippine American Business Improvement & Development Association Top Hat Rising Star Award, 2015 • Best of The bar, San Diego Business Journal, 2015 • Emerging Leaders Award: Top 25 San Diego Leaders In Their 20s, San Diego Business Journal, 2014 • San Diego County Bar Association, Outstanding Service By A New Lawyer, 2014 • Best of The Bar, San Diego Business Journal, 2014 • Young Influential, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2014 • Young Attorney, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2014 • Young Attorney, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2013 • Young Attorney, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2011
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Dos and Don'ts of
REPRESENTING YOUR BRAND BY ASHLEIGH WALKER
Y
ou’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again, about the importance of ‘rich, quality content.’ The holy grail in the online world is content that is worth reading and worth sharing. For a long time that meant a great article, or landing page, filled with information and phrases that give the customer the answers they seek. However, this is a world that is ever changing, and in that we begin to change our definitions. In this case, we must change the way we view rich, quality content to better adapt in this industry. What am I talking about? Media, but not just smiling faces scattered in bio pages, and battered up vehicles at the top of a car accident page. I mean rich, high-quality infographics, videos, eBooks, webinars; re-creating content not just to include the written word but the vast resource that is visual media. It’s a new step in an ever changing staircase, and it can seem like a bit of a mystery to begin. You may be asking yourself: What kind of resources best fit my firm? How do I know if this is high quality or not? Below I have a short list of some dos and don’ts to get you started in better utilizing media to represent your brand.
“DOS” KNOW YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC The first step to any branding, or media marketing, is to know the groups you
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are targeting. Whether you cover a range of practice areas, or one specific niche, if you do not understand your demographic you will fail to utilize the potential of your media. An important first step is to not only look at the data of your potential clients, but to understand their potential questions and needs. In doing this you can use your media to better embellish your content to fit their needs, and create authenticity in your brand.
CREATE ORIGINAL CONTENT It’s a no brainer, but the more original your content, the more your firm will stand out from your competitors. In a world in constant competition to be the best, relying on outdated and unoriginal content is a quick way to be left behind. Whether you set up a space in your office to film testimonials, or hire a professional to take photos around your firm, time spent on original media is well invested.
BRANCH OUT! We are learning more and more about the importance of using media throughout a site. Not only does this break up content, but it gives your site a better sense of harmony throughout. There are so many forms of media that can be utilized in a site to create better user interaction and conversions, such as infographics, eBooks, and Webinars for a more visual and informative experience to your firm.
ALIGN WITH YOUR BRAND GOALS No amount of effort or hard work is going to matter if at the end of the day you’re not consistent with your firm’s goals and beliefs. Are you focused on helping the customer throughout their process? Do you aim to answer any questions they may have? Do you want your name to be the first thing that they think of when they need representation? Use your firm ideals to help you create content, and let it become a resource for your site. If you try to create content based on what others are doing, it will come off as forced, whereby incorporating your ideals will make your content and media authentic.
“DON’TS” DON’T UNDERESTIMATE QUALITY What is one of the largest differences between a successful site, and one that fails to rank month after month? Quality. Quality content has been important in success for some time, and this is no exception for our media. Whether you are filming a video answering questions related to a practice area, or simply adding photos to a new landing page, nothing shouts ‘turn back now’ quite like low resolution and poor lighting. Ignoring the importance of highquality media is showing a potential
client that you don’t take the time to ensure quality in your firm. Rachel Harmon touches on this further in her article on how photography could lose you business.
Peterson Reporting. Providing nationwide service since 1986.
DON’T SETTLE FOR STOCK IMAGES While stock images may be the quick and inexpensive way to include media in your site, there are downsides to using them. Stock images are taken with the purpose of being used for a variety of different things, which makes finding a photo for any situation particularly hassle free, but as a result stock images can make a site feel predictable and cliché, which is not how you want a client to view your firm.
DON’T OVERSELL YOURSELF While at first it may seem like a good idea to spice up the areas your firm excels in, don’t be too eager to put everything out there. Marketing is making a shift, and big boastful promises are no longer a gimmick that people trust. With a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips, people don’t want to feel tricked into thinking you’re the best; they want to be shown that you are through your actions and services. Your job is not to shout from the rooftops with big bold promises in advertisements all across your site, but rather to provide the answers that your clients are looking for when they open up their search engine. Making promises for service that you don’t uphold is a fast way to taint your brand, and leave customers feeling unsatisfied.
DON’T RELY ON CONTENT ALONE One of the most important things your site can have is highquality, authoritative content. This shows that you know what you’re talking about and makes the client trust your firm; but good content is wasted when it sits on a blank page in blocks for the consumer to read. In our fast paced world, content is not being absorbed in the same ways that it once was, and the importance of hooking them into the content is much more important. One of the fastest ways that you can break up a text-heavy page is to add media. Create a video that explains the practice area the page is about, have an infographic that goes into further detail, or create an eBook that people can download for later use. Things like this tend to increase customer retention and are a direct polish to your growing brand. n Ashleigh Walker is an Analyst, Ashleigh assists Consultwebs’ Marketing Consultants with creating and executing client online campaigns. Her work includes everything from conducting on-site technical reviews to brainstorming monthly content plans. Additionally, as an Analyst, Ashleigh delves deep into clients’ websites to determine what can be done to improve their online presence in a manner that best reflects the law firm’s brand and goals. www.consultwebs.com.
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7/12/13 27 5:04 PM Attorney Journal San Diego | Volume 146, 2015
-Quick Tips-
For Finding the Right Blog Topics for Your Law Firm by Guy Loranger
T
he blog on your law firm’s website can serve many purposes. It can be used to educate potential clients who visit your site about their legal rights and options. It can showcase your legal knowledge and establish you as an authority on topics related to your practice areas. It can also highlight your unique personality. Ultimately, a blog can enhance your online presence, generate traffic and lead to conversions. In this sense, your law firm blog can play a major role in your overall Web marketing campaign. With this in mind, it is important to make sure that your blog never goes “stale.” You need to keep it regularly updated with fresh, relevant and interesting content. Of course, this can be a challenge – one that our Content Team tackles every day on behalf of our clients. Based on our experience, we think the following tips can be helpful when you are looking for new topics for your law firm’s blog.
ANSWER YOUR CLIENT’S COMMON QUESTIONS People use the Internet – and search engines like Google – to find answers to their questions such as, “Where is the best burger in town?” You can use your blog to answer the questions that you know your typical clients have. Take a few minutes to brainstorm these questions. You may end up with several blog article topics. For instance, if you are a personal injury attorney, you may commonly be asked questions such as: • Who will pay for my car damage after an accident? • How can I pay my medical bills while my lawsuit is pending? • Can I sue my neighbor for a dog bite? • How long does a lawsuit take? Ask yourself: What basic information can I provide to people with these questions? Keep your answers simple. Use plain, easy-to-follow language. Be informative but be concise.
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The visitors to your site will appreciate that you shared your insights. They will respect your knowledge. Ultimately, they will be more likely to submit your online contact form.
GIVE YOUR SPIN ON A HOT NEWS TOPIC Adding your unique twist or perspective on a hot news item is commonly called “news-jacking.” It can be highly effective. As a lawyer, you can truly provide an interesting take on what is making headlines. For instance, if you are a divorce lawyer, you can use a celebrity couple’s dispute over custody of their children to explain child custody law in your state. Or, if you are a criminal defense attorney, you could use a news story about arrests made at a DWI checkpoint to explain one’s legal rights. The key is to take a news story that people may not fully understand and break its complex issues into simple, easily digestible terms.
PROVIDE HELPFUL TIPS OR LISTS Do people read blog articles that provide helpful tips? Well, you’re reading this article, aren’t you? The reality is that people often go online because they are looking for solutions to problems or advice on particular matters. Of course, as a lawyer, you can’t provide legal advice through a blog. However, you can provide some helpful general information that can be of real benefit to your site’s visitors. For instance, let’s say a person is wondering whether it is worth their time and effort to pursue a lawsuit after being injured due to a medical error. An article on “Nine Reasons You Should Pursue a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit” can provide excellent value to that individual and may help him or her to overcome doubts about taking legal action. You can also provide non-legal advice that can help people to avoid injuries or other problems that your law firm frequently sees. For example, having represented numerous
These days, executives come in many varieties. children who were hurt in swimming pool accidents, you may wish to share suggestions in an article, “Seven Ways to Keep Your Child Safe at the Pool.” In fact, our Senior Social Media Consultant, Kenneth Harris, has often said that these articles tend to be the most highly shared and can generate significant traffic. These topics reflect that your law firm truly cares about your community.
COLLECT AND CURATE The reality is that you may be extremely impressed by what others are saying about a topic. Don’t try to top it. Share it. You can write what is commonly called a “curated” blog article. In other words, you can compile snippets from different articles on a particular theme and share them with your visitors. Just make sure that you give full attribution to your sources and link where appropriate. These types of articles can be highly interesting and informative. They show visitors that your law firm is keeping up with the news or the latest trends and developments in your practice areas. Your blog offers the perfect outlet for getting out news about your law firm. Of course, a Facebook page can be highly effective for making announcements as well. However, with a blog, you can maybe go into a little more depth than you typically can on Social Media sites. You can write a blog article about a recent verdict or settlement or an award or honor that your firm has collected. You could also write about your participation in a community event or charity effort. You may even wish to use your blog to profile a lawyer or staff member. For instance, a paralegal from your firm may have recently participated in a marathon or completed a challenging hike. Let your visitors know about it. These articles, too, can be highly shareable. They tell visitors a lot about your law firm’s personality and culture. And they ultimately can make visitors more comfortable about contacting your firm. So, as you can see, there are many ways you can overcome the challenge of maintaining a steady flow of content to your law firm’s website. n Guy Loranger is the Web Content Editor for Consultwebs. com. His role allows him to interact regularly with clients on developing website pages, press releases, blogs and other Web content that promotes their firm’s practice areas and enhances their search engine rankings. He is also Google Analytics IQ certified. www.consultwebs.com.
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29
Stop Treating Your Website Leads Like They’re Referrals by Tanner Jones
R
ing ... ring … ring … ring … ring …Goodbye. Chalk up another lost client to your front desk. How seriously have you invested time and money into your intake department? Before you answer that, let’s step back a minute and consider the story of the young fisherboy. This angler grew up on the river with his father learning the art and craft of fishing. His dad would catch the fish and let his boy zealously reel them in, one by one. Eventually, the boy accepted the process of taking the rod from his father each time he had one hooked. Eventually, one day his father stopped going fishing with him and depended on his son to bring home dinner. The boy soon realized that he could no longer rely on his old process of depending on his father’s ability to set the hook. He had to learn to set the hook himself. I implore you, teach your staff how to set the hook. Stop treating your website leads like they’re referrals.
THE PROBLEM WITH REFERRALS There’s no doubt that referrals are the best possible lead source. It is said that the average company generates 65% of its new business from referrals (NYT). Furthermore, your clients are said to be four times more likely to hire you when they are referred from a friend or from someone they trust. However, there are two major difficulties with referrals: 1. You have to pay out a hefty sum at the end of the case (for a contingency fee-based lawyer); and 2. There just aren’t enough of them. If you have accepted those two facts, you have likely considered Internet marketing for your law firm. The process of riding a bull is not the same process as riding a bike. Each requires its own unique techniques and training (although I can’t personally say I’ve ridden a bull). With Internet marketing, you should avoid applying your referral processes and mindset when handling your lead intake. Otherwise you risk damaging your law firm’s bottom line. A person who calls you after finding your website on the Internet, with no prior knowledge of your firm, has no personal loyalty or ties to you or your great firm. In fact, they have no reason to hire you other than what is said in those first few 30
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minutes when they call in. If you don’t have someone willing to greet them with exceptional service and a sales mentality, you will lose out to a law firm that does.
REFERRALS VS. INTERNET LEADS Here are some key points to keep in mind: • Referral: A referred client will leave you a voicemail and wait for your return call. • Internet: An internet lead will move on. • Referral: A referred client will punch buttons through a phone tree in an effort to talk to you. • Internet: An internet lead will hang up and call someone they can talk to immediately. • Referral: A referred client may overlook your tired, disinterested intake “professional.” • Internet: An internet lead assumes your intake “professional” is a reflection of your entire firm and representation ability. They move on. I strongly urge you to stop treating your website leads like they’re referrals. You are costing your firm tens of thousands in case fees and are wasting significant marketing dollars. Consider applying a portion of your advertising toward your intake team. Hire rock stars and offer ongoing training and coaching. Your intake process is one of your most important functions to growing your case load on the Internet. The fishing was good; it was the catching that was bad. ~A.K. Best n Tanner Jones serves as the Marketing Director for Consultwebs.com, the premier provider of innovative online legal marketing to ethical U.S. law firms seeking growth and profit. Consultwebs fosters professional, long-term relationships built on trust, integrity, high quality and results. Often the first contact clients have with Consultwebs, Tanner helps law firms develop their marketing strategies, including search marketing campaigns, responsive website design, social media and pay-per-click advertising. Tanner has spoken and presented at legal marketing seminars throughout the country including the PILMMA and M&L Legal Marketing conferences. www.consultwebs.com.
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