When it comes to accounts receivable, one of the "elephants in the room" is the awkward situation that arises when attorneys believe they are the only ones who can contact their clients about their receivables. We understand that inclination, and that makes sense in the best of all worlds. But there is a problem with the idea. Many lawyers really do not like to deal with collections, nor do they want to have to deal with them. And, truth be told, many just aren't very good at it.
Attorneys have a professional relationship with their clients and are the logical people to talk to the clients. They also may have little confidence in letting others at the firm contact those clients.
Attorneys have the knowledge to talk the talk and walk the walk regarding the matter for which they have been retained by the client. However, it is important for the partners to recognize that they are not in this by themselves. They should have a team to support them, comprised of people with the appropriate communication skills and the professionalism to allow them to build strong relationships while getting bills paid. If your firm does not have such people on staff, it should retain those with experience who can provide the collection strategy that will preserve the attorney-client relationships, analyze payment problems and understand solutions that apply to different practice areas and client situations.
Inspire your attorneys to have confidence in the people on their team who will help them with collection efforts. That message can, and should, come from the top. Firm management can lead by example, demonstrating to the attorneys that it has confidence in such professionals. Learn more at http://www.clientci.com.
