The Heart of Lawyering: Clients, Empathy & Honesty

“Excellence is never an accident.  It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.” ~ Aristotle 

We want you to make the right choice when hiring a personal injury law firm.  A Legal Client Satisfaction Report published in 2018 found that the rate of client dissatisfaction was three times higher for larger law firms than smaller ones.  The reasons underlying these survey results is clear:  Better communication, more compassion and added specialization are advantages of working with smaller law firms.  Boutique firms are often the best option for people facing legal challenges.  

Our North Star is putting our clients’ best interests first.  Our personal injury firm’s greatest concern is getting your accident case resolved efficiently and successfully.  “We care about our clients.  It’s that simple.  We will make every effort to ensure that our clients receive the best possible advice and representation,” explains Matthew Kobren.

Kobren Law recently had a client who was involved in a car accident with a student driver.  There was (only) $10,000 in available coverage, which we explained to the client at the outset.  However, a big law firm promised that they could recover more money.  As a result of this false promise, our client went to the large firm, and you can guess what happened next:  The case settled for $10,000, the exact amount we told the client was available.  However, that was not the end of the bad news for the client.

Florida law provides that both the new and previous attorneys are entitled to their fee, even if it amounts to more than one-third the contingency fee.  In a situation where a client comes to us after discharging another firm, we always tell the client we will take care of the former firm’s lien out of our fee so that the client is only paying the standard contingent fee.  In the case above, the large law firm took their entire contingent fee and the big firm paid us for the time and effort we put into the case out of the client’s portion of the settlement, leaving even less than the client stood to receive had he not fallen for the false promises. 

This is a prime example of how large firms may be uncaring toward clients because they know they will get a certain number of people through the “door” by outspending small firms on digital, TV and billboard advertising so they do what’s best for them and not the client.  Unlike a small firm, a big firm’s business model undervalues referral business. 

At our boutique law firm, client relationships are paramount since our clients are our number one referral source.  At big firms, there’s little incentive to make current clients happy because new clients are primarily gained through expensive advertising campaigns.  

Even with a smaller footprint, the quality of our client base has increased, and we have built a reputation for the work we do.  Smaller firms run lean as a matter of survival and that carries over to a more conscientious approach to customer service.  The large law firm model is a detriment to the client: Big firms pressure associates to bill as many hours as possible, thus minimizing their incentive to be efficient. 

At a small firm, a client that generates $250,000 in fees is incredibly valuable.  That same client is “small potatoes” to a large firm and would likely be treated accordingly.  Smaller, more financially nimble firms are able to step in and put people over profits.

Our personal injury practice serves all of South Florida and embraces success fees over flat fees or monthly retainers, which is why Kobren Law’s motto is, “NO FEE unless WE WIN money for you.”  We will always give you the best advice even if it means less money for us.  At Kobren Law, you are never just a number and you will be represented by a committed lawyer who will take the time to learn about you, along with your concerns and goals to obtain a full recovery.  

It is heartbreaking when large law firms make false and misleading promises.  Our exceptional team of powerhouse personal injury attorneys will work hard and fight hard for our clients with an emphasis on honesty, transparency and compassion.  Allow us to help you achieve the best outcome in your accident case.  Contact us at 561-361-8677.