Peter Olson of Solo In Chicago recently blogged about picking up new clients at the courthouse. In his case he ran into a real estate investor lamenting about his frustrations of doing eviction work himself. Peter offered to help.
This is noteworthy for the reason it works. Let me share another situation of how it has worked for me in the past. My cases come from referrals made by bankruptcy attorneys. I am involved in bankruptcy litigation, but not in representing debtors in their underlying bankruptcy. Almost every time I appear in bankruptcy court on a contested matters, especially on emergency hearings, I have bankruptcy lawyers stop me and inquire about some similar problem they are having in their office. Many of these turn into referrals.
So, hanging around the courthouse works. Make yourself known in the clerks office. Make yourself known with the court staff. Always use court time to make introductions and to extend your friendship to the lawyers in the room you have already met. Get to court early, and stay after your case or matter has been heard.
I have gotten referrals even when I did not prevail at the hearing I attended. The other attorneys there have experienced the same thing. They will want to confer with you as to how to prevail in the future. They will inform you of cases or situations they have to see how they may differ. Tell then you would like to look at the case for them. Give them your card. It is really that simple.
And, get their card if you have a favorable conversation. Even lawyers that want to refer a matter to you get busy and forget. Call them in a day or two and remind them, or at least leave them a voice mail message thanking them. Follow up with a gentle email.
More importantly, place the prospective client or referral attorney on your broadcast fax, broadcast email and mailing lists.
Thank you Peter for reminding me.
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