Time spent on the phone with a prospective client is time well spent when that prospective client becomes a paying one. However, often time lawyers find themselves on the phone, answering numerous questions from callers that seem to be doing nothing more than looking for some free legal advice.

The successful lawyer/time manager works to 1) quickly to determine the caller’s need, 2) identify why they have been singled out for this call, and 3) gauge the seriousness of the caller. Is the caller as serious about their case as the attorney would be?

Once this quick assessment is done and the attorney is satisfied with what they have learned they should schedule a time for the caller to come into the attorney’s office. Of course, assuring the client that the attorney is equally serious about their case is a must.

The likelihood of being retained by a client dramatically increases when they walk in the office door. So, working to eliminate time spent with non-productive callers not only will improve your productivity, but your sanity as well.•