Recently, a colleague from my old firm, following my praise for an outstanding Employment Lawyer, who is always happy to chat through queries with me or my clients, referred to me as “one of our formidable competitors.”
I responded, with as much humility as possible, to say that I don’t have competitors. In the nicest possible way.
I do my best to make it clear what I do, what I love to do, and what I can help and support you in finding the right person for, when I don’t do it.
What this means, is that I only take on work that I love to do. I try to achieve balance in life, partly for my benefit, and partly for the benefit of my clients.
If I know I’m going to have a 7.30pm meeting, as that’s what’s required for a busy professional couple, or tired parents who need to put their little ones to bed before chatting with me about their Wills, I will likely go to the gym in the morning, and roll in to my office by around 11am-ish. It is my office, after all. It doesn’t make sense for me to take on an evening appointment if I’m going to be tired.
If I believe that new clients will be better served by a fellow professional, either because of their location, their attitude, their complex needs, or a language that I’m not familiar with, then I will say that clearly, at the first opportunity.
Occasionally, I come across clients who are determined to have complex trusts, even lifetime trusts, putting property or other assets into trust. When they make it clear they want to do this in their lifetime, I make it abundantly clear what I deal with, and that we’re not a good match.
The truth is, that with all the lawyers I know personally, those who I interact with at courses and seminars, some elite fellow professionals at the top of their game, many of whom are fellow members of the Private Client Section of the Law Society, I have yet to come across one who confirms to me (and I ask a LOT of people) that they have a lifetime trust in place for their own family.
I’ve even asked a lot of the professionals who “sell” these to anyone who will buy them. And who privately tell me that I ought to get involved in offering them, because I’d make a lot of money. Yes really. They say that, clearly having no idea of how much of a turn off that is for me.
Some years ago, a very sweet couple came to me shortly before their wedding. They gave me a brief summary of their circumstances, and I told them that my firm’s fees for mirror Wills are £300 (no VAT). They said they’d found someone who would come to their house for £90. I said that I’m not competing with that service, and they should keep an open mind, be aware that a company spending proper time with them, may be wanting to be appointed as executors in their Wills, so they should be careful and not sign up to anything they weren’t comfortable with.
A week later, they contacted me, and explained that by the end of a long evening, they were being asked to pay £900 and set up trusts and all sorts. What they needed were simple Wills before their wedding day, with that special wording to say the Wills would not be revoked by their marriage.
We worked out a deal whereby they would get their Wills in place without delay with me. I told them that I would not accept payment until some time after the honeymoon, and I encouraged them to pay “relaxed payments” that would not cause any stress.
Can you see what I mean when I say I don’t have competitors?
My goal is to delight the clients I choose to work with.
If you think we may be a good match, please get in touch on my office line 01727 840 240 or jane@jcwillsandprobate.co.uk and let’s see if I can help.