Blog Posts: JW Fundamentals

JW Way Fundamental #3: Clarify and Manage Expectations "Establish mutually agreeable expectation as to the time, expense, and goals of every engagement. Let people know what to expect and when. Ensure clarity by reviewing goals, action items, responsibilities, and dues dates to ensure expectations are understood."This JW Way fundamental is often a challenge for m...

JW Way Fundamental #7: Honor your commitments.  "Do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it. If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, tell others early and agree on a new commitment."It is easy to honor some commitments.  As lawyers we have deadlines, court appearances, and scheduled dates we must comply with. Those are calendared, we ...

JW Way Fundamental #3: Clarify and Manage Expectations "Establish mutually agreeable expectation as to the time, expense, and goals of every engagement. Let people know what to expect and when. Ensure clarity by reviewing goals, action items, responsibilities, and dues dates to ensure expectations are understood."A hunter in Africa sets out to capture a monkey...

We live in a society where meritocracy is rewarded, both financially and emotionally. How to be more “productive” has become an obsession for many. Productivity and profitability go hand in hand with enormous profits for those who succeed. Law firms have not escaped this phenomenon; in fact, they have fully embraced it. Sociologists now refer to law, accounting...

JW Way Fundamental #4: Walk in your clients' shoes  "See the world from their perspective. Empathize by understanding their fears and concerns and showing you care. Ask, “If I were in their shoes, what would I want to know and how would I want to be treated?”Previously, I told a story about a monkey. The monkey discovered a banana in a jar, and he grabbed...

JW Way Fundamental #4: Walk in your clients' shoes  "See the world from their perspective. Empathize by understanding their fears and concerns and showing you care. Ask, “If I were in their shoes, what would I want to know and how would I want to be treated?”This fundamental is all about empathy which is: Seeing with the eyes of another - Listeni...

JW Way Fundamental #1: Deliver outstanding legal advice. "Find the smartest and most efficient way for clients to achieve their goals, while maintaining a healthy respect for their budget and ability to pay."There is good reason for this to be the number one JW fundamental. There may be many reasons for a prospective client to choose us as their law firm, but t...

Most of us have experienced purchasing something advertised at one price and finding out it was a very different and more expensive price when we complete the purchase.  A classic example is purchasing an airline ticket from Allegiant Airlines.  While the initial price is very low, there are additional fees for everything including carry-on bags, pet in c...

JW Way Fundamental #2: Treat clients' Money as if it were your own   "Think about the cost of representation. Avoid expenses that don't have a demonstrable benefit to the client."JW has a unique culture, as do all businesses. However, one key difference is that we have captured the essence of our firm in The JW Way Fundamentals. These are the foundation of ...

JW Way Fundamental #1: Deliver outstanding legal advice. "Find the smartest and most efficient way for clients to achieve their goals, while maintaining a healthy respect for their budget and ability to pay."Every successful business has to differentiate itself in some manner, and law firms are no exception. Large law firms do very good legal work, and small ...