Have Your Paralegal Send a Followup Letter to the Client
I have a small office (myself, a paralegal and a secretary). One of the things I always do on an initial intake is introduce the client to both my staff members. I want the client to know who they’re talking to and be more comfortable when they call in. Even if my paralegal is in the middle of something, she can still raise her head, wave and say hello to the new client.
Another idea is to send a follow up welcome letter not from you, not from the firm, but from the paralegal. We use language like this:
As the paralegal assigned to assist Mr. Swanner in the handling of your case, I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that I am available at any time should you have questions concerning your case. I wanted to introduce myself and let you know that we will work very hard on your case. If you ever have any questions or problems concerning your case please let me know so I can help you.
If you feel it’s appropriate, you can also have them add that the lawyer is often out of the office meeting with clients, witnesses and investigators, taking or defending depositions, attending or presenting at conferences, and preparing for or attending court, but that the paralegal will be in the office and will be available to help them out.
The utilization of paralegals is critical. As a paralegal myself in a large regional defense firm in Pennsylvania, paralegals are finally being utilized as they should be. What it comes doen to is having a paralegal who is comfortable being in front of clients, asking them questions, and self-driven enough to follow-up as needed.
It is good to see you utilizing your paralegal in this way.
