What a great honor it is to me when my clients trust me to handle their employment law matters!
In exchange for your trust and confidence, I promise my clients these things.
I will focus on your goals.
We will meet periodically to assess your goals. We will address matters proactively to identify your needs and concerns. You will take away from our meetings a clear and explicit understanding of what we’re going to pursue and achieve together.
That goal is often “winning” or “resolving a lawsuit,” but, if you ask me, the real goal should be “avoiding future litigation.” When you get the result out of the legal system that we set out to achieve, that’s when we win.
I like winning.
I will be in touch with you.
I will take your phone calls when I’m able to; I will return them promptly when I’m not. I will read and respond to your emails. I will contact you periodically to schedule a time to assess your needs and goals.
You can use my client portal for a quick update on the web, 24/7, and we will be collaborating frequently.
You will get my best efforts.
There are many decisions to be made in litigation. Sometimes they must be made fast. This is especially true in Oregon, where the circuit courts require that all cases are completed within a year and most cases reach arbitration within ninety days. This means we need to move quickly and effectively.
Know this: I take my duties as a zealous advocate and a professional seriously. Civility and respect are important, not only as inherent goods but because they help get us to a place where your goals are realized. I leverage all available technology and the benefit of my 25 years of legal experience to work towards the best possible result in every matter I handle.
I will be honest with you.
All cases have their ups and downs. The news is not always good. This doesn’t diminish your need to learn it. You will always know what’s going on in your case.
No lawyer can ever promise a specific result, in any case. If some other lawyer absolutely promises you victory, you need to take a step back, distance yourself from the pleasure of being told you’re going to win, and think about what went into that exchange objectively.
Fees and costs will be transparent and reasonable.
We all know that legal work, especially litigation, is an expensive process. In the unpredictable and sometimes adversarial environment of the law, things can happen that are beyond your control or mine. When I can, I will provide an anticipated budget, and when things come up that suggest that the budget needs to be modified, I will let you know as soon as possible.
Keeping the costs under control is part of what smart litigation is about. When it’s appropriate, I will bring professionals in who can handle needful tasks at reduced rates to you. I never markup third-party services and am not too proud to fly coach!