PLAN No. 369. LAWYER WHO ATTENDS TO BUSINESS
The average lawyer admittedly is a poor business man, because of his neglect to study the ordinary methods of business.
When he takes your case he often proceeds to handle many details you know nothing about which takes up his time and often much skill on his part. All these steps, as a matter of fact, should be known to you so that you may give him credit for his time and energy he has put in on your behalf. His failure to call such matter to your attention means if he charges you for the time he actually spent you think you have been overcharged and he loses you as a client. For example, after the lawyer appears for you a motion is made by the lawyer on the other side; this means he must appear at least once before the court and argue the matter which might take one-half to a whole day. Then a demurrer is filed which will take as much more time, and finally the case is set down for trial. As a rule you will see him only a few times before the trial and naturally think that he has put in but little work.
The lawyer I have in mind handled his work on a business basis. As soon as a case was placed in his hands he would immediately inform his client of every step, and the nature of it, taken in the case. If a motion was filed, he immediately on receipt of it dictated a letter to his client telling him of the motion and the nature of it. When he attended court to have the motion set down he informed his client of it. When the court heard the motion he wrote his client when it would come up and that it was not necessary for him to be present. If he was successful he immediately informed his client of that. In this way he kept his clients constantly informed of every detail. His stenographer was busy and he could charge a much larger fee for his service and his client felt everything possible had been done for his case. In the event that it was necessary to show the court the amount of service rendered by him, he could produce the correspondence which showed the amount of work and the time expended by him.
Ninety per cent of the lawyers could double their incomes by giving attention to the details of their business as herein suggested.