Five Star Counsel Podcast

The Five Star Counsel podcast is prepping for a little break while we wrap up season two and prepare for season three, which will focus on the practical implementation of building a modern, high-level legal firm.

As we dive into the day-to-day nuts and bolts, we'll share a range of tools and methods, from budget-friendly to more costly options. We recognize that every firm is different, so we'll provide non-prescriptive guidance and explore various approaches that can be adapted to your practice.

Stay tuned for the upcoming season, and let us know your specific concerns and interests by using the Typeform link below. See you in May!

Our show has tackled client service by framing it around one big question: "What would a firm created by the founders of Disney, Amazon, and Four Seasons look like?"

Today we try to summarize our Five Star Bootcamp by answering that question. Building a law firm requires starting with the business foundations of mission, vision, and values. The mission should be clear and consistent for both employees and clients. The values should guide the behavior of employees and drive the business forward.

We need to provide results as a lawyer, but also humanize those results with great service so that your firm can quickly recover from mistakes and build a strong brand.

Five star service isn't easy, but it will reward you, your employees, your clients, and ultimately, your firm's bottom line.

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How do you handle client-facing mistakes? As much as we try to avoid them, mistakes are inevitable, even for us perfectionist attorneys.

And because they are inevitable, attorneys need to have a plan for how to respond when they happen. My experience working at the Four Seasons provided a great framework for how to deal with mistakes, using "glitch reports" to document errors and review them with our staff at regular meetings.

There are three steps that attorneys should take when mistakes happen: apologize and take ownership of the mistake, empathize with the client by acknowledging how the mistake has affected them, and show how you will make it right.

It's important to not apologize, but also give clients a concrete plan for how you will correct the mistake and meet their needs.

I conclude the episode by repeating the magic phrase I learned at the hotel: "I'm sorry this happened, but there's nothing I can say right now that will undo what has happened. What can we do to make this better?"

By following these steps and showing genuine concern for their clients, attorneys can recover from mistakes and continue to provide excellent service.

Closing Exercise: Consider the last client-facing mistake you dealt with.

1. Magic Words: "There's nothing I can say that will undo what happened. What can I do now?

2. What options are there to fix things for your clients? What's in your toolkit? Should you reconsider your processes?

1. What do you see out in the world that you've enjoyed? How can you implement or translate that to your own service?
2. When do you ask employees for improvement suggestions?
3. When do you ask clients for improvement suggestions?

1. What could be tested?
2. How often will you be testing?
3. What will you do to be sure that people know and execute?
4. Determine training and scoring methods.