Bigger is not always better when it comes to the size of the law firm taking on your case. A larger firm typically carries a much higher case load, has to meet certain quotas for billable hours and loses that personal touch you deserve. While there are advantages to both large and smaller firms, Liriano Law Firm encourages you to look into your personal case needs and do thorough research in your law firm selection to make the best decision for you. Below we discuss some of the benefits to working with a smaller legal firm. Let’s dive in.
Smaller vs Larger Law Firm
Personal Touch- You Are Not Just A Number
A big advantage to working with a smaller legal firm is the personal touch aspect. For the most part, when you find yourself needing an attorney, you are in the midst of or planning for an unpleasant event in your life. Be it estate planning or being in the middle of a life changing personal injury legal situation, not many get excited to go see their lawyer. Having the opportunity to build a one on one relationship with your attorney can drastically change your attitude towards the situation and help you through that season of life. At Liriano Law Firm, you have someone fighting for you both inside and outside the courtroom. Carmen will go above and beyond for you and takes joy in being able to educate clients about their case along the way. The law is very complex and ever changing so having a personal relationship and a safe atmosphere opens the doors for education and conversation to help you know and understand what to expect and what is going on. That alone provides a great deal of comfort in a legal situation.
Direct Access
When working with a smaller legal firm, you get direct access to the top attorney(s) in the practice. Having a partner at a large law firm answer the phone when you call is a slim to none chance. There is a certain comfort level of knowing you can pick up the phone and get in direct touch with your attorney. At larger firms, it is not uncommon to have to go through several others prior to being able to talk to the attorney on your case. There are often lots of voicemails, email attempts, and possibly even having to show up to the firm to get the updates you are looking for. At Liriano Law Firm, when you Call Carmen, you get Carmen! Open communication allows an excellent environment for a healthy client to lawyer relationship.
Smaller Caseloads
A smaller law firm means smaller caseloads. The term smaller caseload does not by any means translate into smaller capacity. As mentioned above, larger law firms have certain quotas to meet and have a lot more get pushed onto their desk. Having a smaller caseload does translate into a more customized strategy (discussed in more detail below) and more time and attention dedicated to working on your case. The truth is that a lot of small legal firms come from a larger firm and are branching off into their own practice. This means you are getting the same level of experience and expertise, but have the advantages of customization, personalization and direct access. You are not just a number that gets lost in the midst of dozens of other cases. Sometimes that alone can make all the difference in the world.
Customized Strategy
There is no one size fits all solution in the world of law. Be it a complex personal injury case or a simple estate planning session, your case does not have a cookie cutter solution. One of the downfalls of larger firms is the larger case loads which often lead to repetition in the attorneys approach to cases. This cookie cutter approach can lead to missing over the smaller details and opportunities available in your particular case. A smaller firm allows for custom strategies, more digging into the details, more direction and guidance on what you can be doing to help and thorough communication along the way.
Area of Focus
A smaller law firm has the privilege of focusing their caseloads on the areas of law they enjoy most. If an attorney is best at personal injury law and wants to only focus on those cases, they get to! If they only want to work on estate planning, they can shift their practice accordingly. A dedicated attorney working on a case area they are emotionally invested in and energized by will naturally put forth a higher level of interest, detail and effort into the details of the case.
Flexibility & Adaptability
A smaller law firm will typically be more flexible in their approach to their case in that they are often willing to work outside of typical business hours, and be more accessible by phone and email. In cases where you or your family members need to communicate with your attorney frequently can be very beneficial. A smaller firm is also able to adapt to changes within the legal industry. Rollouts of new softwares, new systems, new tools, and new strategies gives them a competitive edge over larger firms where this rollout has to be done much slower.
Reasonable Structure Fees
A smaller legal firm will typically have lower overhead costs which means they are able to offer services at a more affordable rate than some larger firms. They also do not have the aggressive billable hour quotas to meet and can adjust rates for certain circumstances and cases. This is a huge benefit that allows accommodation for those on a limited budget. Reasonable structure fees allow you to spend less money for more time on your case!
If you are looking for a firm where you have a personal relationship with your attorney, who will never treat you like just a number, Call Carmen today! You will get the personalized and customized touch your case deserves. Contact Us Today.