Hiring an attorney can be a stressful and daunting experience. A brief search online will return dozens of nearly identical law firm websites all claiming to be able to help you solve your problem. So how do you pick the right one? Why should you pick us over the alternatives?
How We Are Different
While I hold myself to the highest standards of the legal profession, I strive to differentiate my practice from those of other attorneys in the way that I practice and the way that I work with my clients.
Broader Skill Set
Most attorneys graduate from undergraduate and law schools without ever having sufficient business training. While this can make them better attorneys, it can lead to tunnel vision where a good lawyer might miss a major issue because of a lack of business training and experience.
Unlike most attorneys, I have a non-legal skill set that helps me to address issues specific to small businesses. As one of the few practicing attorneys with an M.B.A., I am able to address questions relating to business valuation, M&A strategy, marketing, and business formation and compliance on a deeper level. This allows me to not only advise what can legally be done, but what should be done in a particular circumstance.
Unique Skills and Business Experience
Unlike almost all attorneys, I consider myself a business person first, and a lawyer second. Any lawyer can tell you what legal steps you should take in order to maximize the protection your business deserves or what litigation strategy will ensure the highest chance of success, but most attorneys do not have the training, experience, or even the desire to advise you that some options might be more cost-effective than others.
I advise my clients on what is not only the most effective legal options, but also what might be best from a business strategy perspective. After all, what good is it to spend $10,000 to solve a $1,000 problem? Likewise, if some legal issue might cause serious impact to your bottom line, you need to know where to focus the most attention.
Unrestricted Access to Your File
Most attorneys still keep a paper file in their office and will make a copy for you at your request, and at your expense. I, however, keep a 100% electronic case file, and I provide unrestricted access to your case file using a confidential online portal called Clio and Google Drive. This means that you access your file any time of day or night at no additional expense and without having to set up an appointment and make a trip to our office. After all, it is your file.
Leveraging Technology
Most lawyers are notoriously slow to adopt new technology. In fact, the problem has gotten so bad that the American Bar Association is now requiring technological competency in its Model Rules. I use technology in almost every part of my practice for one reason: to make it easier for you work with me without sacrificing quality or confidentiality.
I use hundreds of forms, templates, go-bys, apps, and macros to fulfill this goal. As I still utilize the billable hour in much of my practice, this means that the time I spend working on a matter is time spent analyzing the legal issues and consequences of particular decisions, and not formatting a document. This also means that you aren't having to pay a secretary or paralegal to format those same documents.
Alternative Fee Arrangements
Approximately 40% of my firm's revenue is from alternative fee arrangements. Most Alabama attorneys do not accept alternative fees of any kind. Alternative fee arrangements are fees that are not based an hourly rate. These can be contingency fees, performance fees, flat fees, and other fees that are not based on the time spent on the case.
I use a wide variety of alternative fee arrangements depending on the matter. These alternatives to the hourly rate encourage efficiency instead of bill churning. These arrangements also make it significantly easier to budget for legal services.
The Benefits of a Small Firm
If you have ever worked with a large law firm, you might have experienced the difficulty actually getting your attorney on the phone or getting an appointment. Unlike those attorneys, I pick up the phone when you call. If I can't answer the phone, I return calls within 24 hours, and often by the end of the day. I answer any questions personally, so you will have a single point of contact, and will never be bounced from department to department. I even make house calls.
Why You Should Hire Us
If you're looking for an attorney that can work with you on your terms, chances are, you've found your man. If you'd like to learn more, give me a call at 205-545-7278 or set up an initial consult today.
