Three Things You’ll Learn:
- Why it’s important to have thick skin in family law
- Why communication is key when providing help for your clients
- The benefit of staying relevant with your marketing
Remaining Calm Through COVID
Beginning her career as a receptionist, Jana Barnett has quickly worked her way through many positions within the industry.
Jana knows what it’s like to do the grunt work and be the first person people speak with when they enter the office. She also knows what it’s like to be at the top and delegate the work. She describes feeling as though she has “reached the pinnacle” of her career now, being an attorney.
Jana is an Associate Attorney at the Law Office of Thomas P. Gill, where she has seen the changes that have taken place since the beginning of the pandemic. Although the relaxed rules of Florida have allowed the firm's employees to remain working from the office, Jana shares that the main adjustment has been how the office operates, with multi-tasking becoming the focus.
Building a Thicker Skin
Jana knows that by the time someone steps into her office, it is already a sad, frustrating, or confusing day for them.
“I do think being in family law that you have to have tough skin because there are a lot of horrible things that come across my desk, whether they be related to children or people’s relationships.” (4:33)
If you take the negativity home, it can ruin your day, explains Jana. Clients are coming to you because they can not handle it themselves so you must approach their issues with a combination of a therapist and attorney mindset.
One of Jana’s favorite things about her position is giving people in distress options - or a way out. She helps them navigate the troubles they are currently facing with compassion as well as logic.
Managing Expectations
The main issue Jana sees with other firms is a lack of communication. Failing to communicate with a client about what is happening in their case, what to expect, and what you need from them as their attorney, can be detrimental to your business.
If you are thorough from the start, there is no reason that clients should have unreasonable expectations or be disappointed for any reason.
Jana never guarantees results and always sets expectations low to ensure the client has a clear idea of what could happen in court.
Stay Relevant
When marketing your firm, Jana believes the most important step you can take is staying relevant on the internet.
“If no one knows who you are and no one knows what you do, then how are you going to get clients?” (30:25)
You have to become visible, remain available and keep up to date or else you run the risk of losing clients and therefore losing money.
