Many times, newly admitted lawyers are referred to as “Licensed Interns”; the nickname suggests that admittance is only the first step in the long process of honing ones’ knowledge and experience throughout ones’ legal career

There is also a second, less-known name for them: “Legal Technicians”. By that, we mean that a newly admitted lawyer, whose practical experience, is confined to the implementation of top-down-style orders – hasn’t really practiced law per se, and is more familiar with the rudimentary and technical aspects of legal practice

Metaphorically speaking; if the lawyer is the engineer, then the intern is the construction worker: knows the hands-on technical work, but lacking the deep knowledge and understanding needed to design a building

In the contemporary legal market, it is not enough to know the professions’ technical how-to’s. Decades ago, the main value for an attorney was the ability to provide his client access to the world of law, and making sure the gates of the gates of state institutions are opened. Nowadays there are many good lawyers in Israel. Knowledge of the law is readily available, sometimes on-line and for free; and the harsh competition erodes the turnover for legal counsel

A question rises– How can you differentiate yourself from your fellow lawyers. And from it, another question rises- How can you attract potential clients and convince them that the services you’re offering is better than what is out there

The answer is – Added Value

You could say that ‘added value’ in the business of law is the equivalent of consumer goods’ ‘user experience’, meaning: the entire envelope surrounding the product or service

While goods and services are measured in “hard” terms like materials’ quality, delivery time and functional aspects of the goods; added value is defined in “soft” terms and its strength lies in the way it resonates with the clients’ internal and emotional world

So, how does one creates added value

First and foremost, legal counsel is a service. As such, it is not altogether different from other services with regards to the ways of creating added value. We have collected a few tips that will help you on your way of shaping your own take on the added value you’ll provide your clients with.

Listen. Really listen

The first rule in creating added value is that the client is the one who should define what the added value is. No two clients are the same and so it is necessary to make the added value work for the client, and not the other way round

A lawyer usually engages the client from a position of power; more often than not, when the client is vulnerable. It important to use that power in order to elicit the client, helping him to accurately define his own needs and preferences, even he himself isn’t aware of them

Those who can, do; those who can do best, teach

It may have eluded you throughout elementary school, but generally speaking, an educators’ is a usually a highly regarded position. There is a tremendous difference in value between a lawyer that is constantly cloistered in his office, and a lawyer that has the time and experience to teach

Try to get into a position of a mentor or a teacher, and it doesn’t matter where! A T.A position at the local college, lecturing in a community legal clinic and giving talks at social gatherings are all legitimate ways to be seen as an authority in your field of practice

Dress (and design) to impress

Everyone knows that mahogany furniture with a gold finish commends more value than cheap of-the-shelf piece of furniture. Strangely, lawyers tend to forget the importance of design when it comes to their firms’ website

For many clients, choosing a lawyer is an emotional issue, mainly driven by first impression and ‘gut instinct’. An attractive and compelling design is (among others) the key to attracting new clients

Serviceability

Are you making yourself available to your client? Does he feel he can always call you for advice and support? It your counsel merely technical or does your client know you will actually listen to his problems and try to empathize with him? A week passing without a phone call to your client makes him feel you are not doing enough for him (regardless of how much work you actually do)

Talk to your client often, asks for his approval for every document you file on his behalf, ask for his advice on strategy and include him in the decision-making process. A law firm isn’t a provider of legal services who happens to also be providing customer service. Rather, a law firm is in the business of customer service that also happens to provide legal services

To sum thing up

Maya Angelou wrote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” The power of added value is that it helps differentiate the service you provide from the other options available out there

A lawyer on its way to success, need to come up with a way by which to differentiate himself from the competition. A good lawyer needs to understand that ‘user experience’ is a term relevant to legal services, and not only to cars and smart-phones