DAVID JEROME:
I guess I’ve always been one of those who doesn’t believe that I should be touting my own reputation. I’ve always believed that my reputation should speak for itself and its work product and that others should tell me of my reputation.
I have had many attorneys from other sources who have referred cases to me, so I take that as a compliment. I have had many, many clients who have referred cases to me of friends and family. I take that as a compliment.
So I guess I look at it as whenever I have clients and attorneys who are referring people to me, when they had every attorney in the phone book or on the Internet that they could choose, I take that as I think I’m doing something correct.
Also, whenever we’re running as high a percentage of victories that we are with our trials, I take that as I’m doing the legwork, I’m doing the things that need to be done, and I’m convincing that arbitrator of the success or the quality and the compensability of these cases.
To me, that’s what it’s all about, is I want to make sure that my clients are properly represented, and that’s where my reputation, I believe, comes from. But for me to sit here and say, “I’m a phenomenal attorney,” that doesn’t mean anything to anybody. It’s other people that have to tell you whether or not you’re doing the job properly.
RICK SALMI:
Yeah. I agree with that. I think I take it just from the clients that I’ve done a good job for – At least, I think I have, and, at the end, we get a good result. But, probably more importantly, that I have a good working relationship with the clients. It’s so important, day in and day out basis, that they understand kind of what I’m doing for them and how I’m helping them.
I think the same kind of situation, that I get a fair amount of referrals from those clients, which is exactly what you said. That’s the best thing that you can have happen, is …
RICK SALMI:
Well, yeah, I really did a good job for them, such that they were recommending me to a friend or a neighbor or a coworker.
DAVID JEROME:
Yep.
RICK SALMI:
Absolutely.
JAYE LINDSAY:
That’s a good point I was just thinking about, as you were talking. It’s where the referrals come from. If a new client comes to the door and they’ve been referred to you by a fellow attorney, maybe even somebody who practices in a very familiar and similar area of law, that tells you something.
Take it one step further if an attorney who knows you is referring you a family member, somebody they care about.
RICK SALMI:
Yeah.
JAYE LINDSAY:
That is probably one of the highest levels of compliment you can receive as an attorney, and we frequently get those calls.
RICK SALMI:
Yes.
JAYE LINDSAY:
That kind of tells us we’re doing something right.