The most brilliant legal strategy means nothing if your client doesn’t understand it. Yet as lawyers lean toward complexity and precision, clients need something different. Lawyers sometimes forget that effective communication isn’t just about being right – it’s about being understood.
When clients do not understand the advice they are receiving, the consequences can be far reaching. Misunderstandings can lead to poor decision-making, unrealistic expectations, and ultimately, dissatisfied clients.
Consider a client who doesn’t understand why a particular settlement offer should be rejected and pushes for acceptance or one who doesn’t grasp the timeline of litigation and becomes frustrated with what they perceive as lack of action. These scenarios aren’t just client service failures, they are business nightmares.
The Curse in Legal Practice
Lawyers suffer from what cognitive scientists call the “curse of knowledge.” After years of legal education and practice, lawyers forget that concepts that seem elementary to them are foreign to most clients. This curse manifests in several ways:
- Technical jargon: while precise legal language is important, client communications require translation for actual understanding.
- Assumption of context: lawyers assume clients understand the procedural landscape when typically they do not.
- Rushed explanations: time pressure can lead to abbreviated text that may hit the key points but miss the detail that is essential for a client to understand the bigger picture.
Strategies for Clearer Communication
There are many methods that lawyers can use to draft clear communications – point first communication is key among them. The aim of point first communication is to share the main point or conclusion at the beginning of the message, followed by supporting details.
Additional strategies include:
- Layered approach: instead of launching into procedural details, begin with the client’s goal and work backward.
- Use analogies: develop stories that translate legal concepts into familiar terms. For example, litigation can be compared to a chess match where each move sets up future possibilities or how contract negotiations might be likened to buying a house, where due diligence uncovers potential problems before commitment.
- Check-back system: ask clients to summarize what they’ve heard in their own words. Think of this as quality control that invites clarification rather than testing comprehension.
- Visual tools: use timeline charts, flowcharts showing decision points, and diagrams to simplify complex cases.
- Follow up: client understanding doesn’t end when the meeting does, implement a structured follow-up system to make sure your client knows what is happening with their file.
The Business Case for Better Communication
Excellent client communication is undoubtably a competitive advantage. Clients that understand their legal situation are more likely to make informed decisions, appreciate the value of legal services they are receiving, and refer others with confidence.
Additionally, clear communication will reduce the time spent on repeated explanations and client management, improving overall efficiency and profitability. A win for everyone involved!
The Path Forward
Effective communication isn’t about dumbing down legal advice, it’s about elevating client understanding. When clients understand the guidance they are receiving, they become partners in the process rather than passive recipients of legal services.
In a profession where trust is paramount, understanding is the foundation upon which that trust is built. Every conversation is an opportunity to strengthen that foundation by ensuring that your client understands what it is you are doing for them.
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