[WSBAPT] Returning calls

[Roger Hawkes]

To each her own; but I always call back to callers who say they are lawyers, especially ones whose names are known to me.

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Eric Nelsen
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2023 5:30 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Returning calls

I'm talking about lawyers not calling me back. My voicemails don't sound like I'm off my nut (I hope). Also, if you get a call from me on a referral, I've already vetted the potential client past that point. I try not to refer the crazies to specific lawyers.

Maybe you get a lot of the truly tinfoil-hat calls-the "need to sue the CIA because they're shooting lasers into my brain" kind. I've had those occasionally, and I sometimes don't call back if it seems dangerous to even engage. But more often than not, even if I get a somewhat crazy-sounding call, the person is sounding odd because they're in genuine distress and trying to figure out a problem they don't fully understand, and once I can identify which area of law they're really having a problem in, I can get them oriented and send them on to an attorney who might actually be able to help.

I'm not saying everybody has to do that; that's my choice and I probably burn a bit more time than most lawyers in "developing leads," as the marketing people say, that don't pan out.

But increasingly over the years and a lot in recent weeks, I have had perfectly nice people call me, seem totally normal and having an ordinary issue like a boundary dispute or whatever, and they are practically kissing my feet with gratitude that I gave them the minimum courtesy of a call back. It offends my sense of humanity to have people feeling grateful to me for such a basic courtesy. Even if I can't help them, a call back to say "Sorry, I can't help you" at least gives them acknowledgment as people, worthy of my respect and courtesy.

Sincerely,

Eric

Eric C. Nelsen
Sayre Law Offices, PLLC
1417 31st Ave South
Seattle WA 98144-3909
206-625-0092
eric at sayrelawoffices.com<mailto:eric at sayrelawoffices.com>

Covid-19 Update - All attorneys are working remotely during regular business hours and are available via email and by phone. Videoconferencing also is available. Signing of estate planning documents can be completed and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please direct mail and deliveries to the Seattle office.

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Roger Hawkes
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2023 4:51 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Returning calls

Eric: squelching your rant a bit: many callers to me are just fishing for free advice; man don't have a clue whether I practice in the area they need.  If I can tell that from their message, or deduce from the content or tone of their message that I won't take the 'case', then I mostly don't call them back.  I am one of the most courteous of the lawyers you know, but I choose not to waste time or encourage rabid callers, when I have information that I can't or won't help them anyway.

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Eric Nelsen
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2023 4:28 PM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Returning calls

Can I just rant a minute?

I am going through a really lengthy spate of leaving messages for various other attorneys, trying to refer cases to them or talk to them about their availability, and never getting a call back. Leave a voicemail, even talk to an individual who promises to call back, and then nothing. For a week or longer.

I have also fielded a half-dozen calls from potential clients just in the last week or so, who have fallen all over themselves just to thank me for merely calling them back. Most tell me that they've left messages for four, five, six other attorneys and NOBODY calls them back.

Are people thinking this is the standard of practice? If so I'm setting down my position now, that it's not acceptable and it doesn't meet basic professional standards. Ghosting seems to be the thing now socially, but as professional behavior I just find it incomprehensibly discourteous, either to a potential client or to another lawyer. I can understand the occasional missed call or delayed reponse but it is happening far, far, too often to be just that.

Maybe it's not expressly in the ethics rules but I don't care: Answer your calls and if you say you'll call somebody back, do it. Even just to tell me that you're swamped and can't help, sorry. At least then I know to go elsewhere and don't waste time waiting, thinking that a lawyer, whose business presumably depends upon (an appearance of) reliability and diligence, "of course" will call me back.

End of rant. Almost all my colleagues in law are great, and are diligent and responsive and a pleasure to work with. This is not about the majority of lawyers. Happy Friday y'all.

Sincerely,

Eric

Eric C. Nelsen
Sayre Law Offices, PLLC
1417 31st Ave South
Seattle WA 98144-3909
206-625-0092
eric at sayrelawoffices.com<mailto:eric at sayrelawoffices.com>

Covid-19 Update - All attorneys are working remotely during regular business hours and are available via email and by phone. Videoconferencing also is available. Signing of estate planning documents can be completed and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please direct mail and deliveries to the Seattle office.

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