I do!
At least in my practice areas there’s nothing more valuable to me than a good referral source. Typically for me good referral sources tend to be other attorneys who either don’t practice in Cook County or more local attorneys who practice in different subject matter than myself or the general “other professionals” particularly financial professionals needing estate planning-probate help or even a local pastor has called me about some family law matters of late. Quite frankly, this subject of good referral sources is the best reason going why you should try to be as respectful and kind to opposing lawyers and/clients…those people are potential future referral sources.
And…
If you’re the recipient of referrals you ought to treat your referral sources right!
I was thinking about this enough to share a little nugget here because I’ve referred several matters to attorneys lately in some fields that I don’t work in…namely criminal and employment law. And I haven’t heard a peep from the attorneys I referred clients to. I’m guessing the matters I referred out aren’t huge $$$ cases but really I’m not sure (I guess if they were big money cases I may have sought a referral fee). Yet they were real, paying clients (of mine) that might turn into who knows what for the second lawyer.
I would suggest at a minimum upon receiving a client referral from another attorney you acknowledge the referral contacted you and simply express thanks to the referral source via a phone call or e-mail. Second, follow-up with the referral source periodically about the client or minimally at the conclusion of the matter to tell the referral source what great work you did for the client (the client is likely the referral source’s client too). You might take the person out to lunch or out for golf or something too. But I think the first couple points are the bare minimum.
Because now I’m a tad hesitant to refer cases to a couple lawyers I referred cases to recently ’cause I’ve heard nothing about the client matters.
Do YOU want referrals?
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I’d love referrals in criminal defense, and DUI.
Sending an email or calling to thank your referral source is certainly the least you can do. I also think that you need to know who your best referral sources are and always keep them in mind. Check up on how they’re doing once a month, send your congratulations if you hear about one of their successes, and send birthday and holiday cards. If you don’t treat your referral sources well, then they’ll stop referring you.
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