$crewged: Ghosts of Clients Past, Present, and Future (a/k/a Dealing with "Difficult" Clients: New Perspectives for a New Year)
Perspectives can powerfully shape the way we see the world. Lawyers have all had difficult clients, but what if who or what is "difficult" is actually a matter of perspective? While an attorney may perceive that a client is difficult, the client may perceive the attorney is difficult. Or, the attorney may be missing that the client is suffering in some way (e.g., health issue) that is causing the client to act in a way that the attorney perceives is "difficult." This presentation addressed the issue of difficult clients through this lens. The program began with a "Table Talk" question to engage the audience members over dinner. Each member was asked to describe what qualities they would look for, beyond competence and expertise, if they were to hire a lawyer for a personal matter, and to discuss their answers with their tablemates. Next, was a discussion of that issue with the full audience, which then led into the main program. Using a variation of "A Christmas Carol," attorney Ebbie Screwged is visited three times on Christmas Eve by clients Ebbie perceives as "difficult," which are depicted in three humorous and insightful vignettes. After each pre-recorded skit, the presenters engaged the audience with questions and polled them on the difficultness of the clients. After concluding the three scenarios, a slide deck designed to help members gain new perspectives about their clients was presented. It included examples of "difficult clients," strategies to improve the attorney-client relationship, and a list of resources.
Presented By: The Southwestern Law School American Inn of Court (30513)
Presented: January, 2023
Topic Areas: Attorney-Client Relationships; Professionalism
Materials: Script, PowerPoint Presentation and Video
CLE Approval: Approved
State: California
Hours: 1.0
2023 National Program Awards Placement: Fourth Place
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