Is What You See, What You Get?

by Alisa Peskin-Shepherd | Mar 24, 2016 | Family Law

Let me tell you a little story about sales.

When you first meet with a services provider – a lawyer, accountant, administrative assistant, insurance agent – they want you as a customer. They put on their best face.

They try to sell and sell hard so you’ll buy into whatever it is they have to offer.

Is that who they necessarily are? No, of course not.

Ideally, with a person who comes from integrity, sales is an extension of the way they work in the day-to-day.

That’s the person you want to work with. What you see, in that case, IS what you get.

But all too often in our society, what you see is not even close to what you get – and then you’re in a pickle.

With family law, it’s important to really know what you’re getting into. Our relationships with clients are long and winding, and we’d better like each other and be comfortable with our styles. Me with you AND you with me.

Whether it’s initiating a divorce, or clearing up post-judgment matters, nothing happens fast enough for a client in family law. But, there is time that unfolds over the course of a case, and you have to be comfortable with the way it’s going to happen.

Hence, you must know that what you’re buying is what you want to buy.

How can you gauge it? Simple.

First, trust your gut. If you are too hyped up or too questioning, listen to those extreme emotions. They are right, and clear.

Secondly, do your research. Ask if you can speak with any former clients. Post on social media sites questions about the practitioner and whether anyone you know knows anything about them. Take the feedback – good, bad, and ugly – and observe it with impartiality.

Finally, make a list of your priorities – for the outcome you’d like to achieve in the case, and for the way you want this practitioner to work with you.

Discuss the list with the lawyer before you hire him/her. Watch their reactions – they may say one thing, but body language could say something completely different.

You want to know what you’re getting before you sign up, so keep your eyes open, your ears alert, and be honest with yourself. What you see should be what you get.