Paralegals & Legal Secretaries

A Not Uncommon Moment in a Paralegal's Day: Client Communication Fail

By Lynne DeVenny

If you work in a law office, you've been there and done that.

You know, called that nonresponsive client on numerous occasions and followed up with many (heck, even monthly) clear and informative letters bluntly advising him that if he doesn't take action by a certain date, his legal rights and remedies will expire forever (and either something terrible will happen, or nothing will happen at all).

Sometimes the letters even include gentle but firm notices of the firm's withdrawal from further representation, such as, "Hey, you've ignored me for months. Therefore, I can't be your lawyer anymore and I'm closing my file. Here's your deadline to take action (again). Good luck with that!"

Most of the time, you hear nary a peep in return, and the case turns into another quietly closed file.

But there's always that one procrastinator who's not at all worried about that final deadline (or the fact that your firm fired him), until it's today - and the courthouse and your office are closing in three and a half minutes.

Then you hear that voice you never thought you'd hear again, and that client's calling back, ready to rock and roll.

Alabama paralegal Melissa Hinote elaborates on her tweet, and illustrates one client's renewed interest in his own potential claim on the day the statute expired in her post at Paralegalese, "My Screenplay Idea."

The now passionate would-be litigant is so ready to take some action that he's even willing to come to the law office in person to talk about it - next week.

Did you know that in addition to meaning "statute of limitations," SOL is also an acronym for (polite forms):

Sadly Out of Luck
Simply Out of Luck
Sorta Outta Luck
Somewhat Out of Luck
Sobbing Out Loud
Swear Out Loud
System Off Line

Full post as published by Practical Paralegalism on January 14, 2010 (boomark / email).