People often ask me why they should choose a small law firm over a large one. While I run a small law firm and may have some bias, I do believe that there are very salient reasons why you should go for the “little guy.”
A long time ago, I worked for a large law firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The office and decorations were absolutely amazing; however, as you can well imagine, money made the world go round. Not that there’s anything wrong with “green search,” but there were office managers and others who were always monitoring what the attorneys and staff were doing and how many billable hours each generated. Although not written, an attorney (or the staff) was expected to generate a certain number of hours per week and if those goals were not met, then their tenure at the law firm was, shall we say, shorts.
I remember a case I worked on where the firm represented an attorney in a complaint to the Florida Bar. The dispute involved the attorney overbilling a client, and I, as a paralegal, had the absolutely delightful task of reviewing, compiling, and categorizing billing records for the attorney’s time. After spending a whole weekend, morning, noon and night organizing those records, I went to the associate assigned to the case and said, we have a problem. The associate assured me that he had reviewed the same records and found the time billed for the work performed to be reasonable. I told him that while that might be true, there were days when the disciplined attorney billed 28 hours in a 24-hour period. Now, while the attorney may well have spent every hour of the day working on the case, there were only 24 hours in a day and no matter how dedicated or good that attorney was, it was impossible to work (and bill) 28 hours in a 24-hour day. Unfortunately, the Bar Association agreed and that attorney, to quote Ricky Ricardo, had some plans to make!
I believe that there are times when it is essential to use a great law firm. For example, if you are involved in complex civil litigation, personal injury matters, or medical malpractice. You’ll want a large firm that specializes in those areas because you need the capital, resources, support staff, expert witnesses, and multiple attorneys necessary to make the best presentation in court or jury. Yet for the myriad of “regular,” ordinary, in-between cases that fill the court system every day, a small firm is the only place to be.
There is tremendous value in knowing who your attorney is! When you choose a small firm, you know the lawyer. You met them during the initial consultation, they are quick to respond to your questions or concerns. They are accessible when you need them. You can get an appointment quickly. Their support staff are often very generous with their time and will often offer emotional support that some attorneys, even the best, cannot provide because they are so focused on the legal aspects of the case. With a small firm, you will receive the individualized attention you and your case need, something that can seem so lacking at larger firms.
Many times with larger companies you will meet a partner, usually a “rainmaker”, who is usually quite articulate and dynamic. They will make a striking appearance and assure you of the various reasons why he should hire your firm. Unfortunately, too many times after the fat retainer is dropped, you’ll find that your case has been assigned to a junior partner or associate who might call you back next Thursday unless the sun comes up, which means you may not be until the following Wednesday. . Oh, I forgot, Wednesdays are usually golf days, so they’ll call you on Friday. No wait, they leave early on Friday, so do it the following Tuesday. You understand me.
For many people, their particular case is the only time they will (hopefully) be in the court system. They want their case handled efficiently and expeditiously so they can get out of the system as quickly as possible. If there’s one good thing about the judicial system, it’s this, the sooner you get out of it, the better. Therefore, for divorce, family law, criminal defense, small claims cases, etc., the smart choice is small business. In the courtroom, you want to be with the lawyer you sat in the office with, not some guy you’ve never met who keeps calling you Tim when he’s called Tom.
Now, of course, choosing an attorney, any attorney, is a choice you must make carefully and wisely. You should interview some of them who are practicing in the area you need. In most cases, they will offer a free consultation. If they want to charge you for an initial consultation, then unless a family member or friend who knows you and attests to your level of competence has recommended you to that attorney, then don’t go. The business of law is very competitive and many great attorneys will offer a free initial consultation. You can discuss the fee, payments, the expected length of the case, and any other questions you may have. Once you feel comfortable with a particular attorney, you can hire them and get started. Let the search for the right attorney begin!