‘Good lawyer’ you say? Is there such a thing?!

Well, when we say ‘we do things differently at Ferguson Legal’ it’s with this aim… Yet people often respond by asking, ‘well, how?’

Fair enough.

This is a claim that many people across lots of different industries make – and it should be backed up. In our case, it’s not just that our boss Carole is dual-qualified as a Scottish solicitor and English barrister. It’s not even that we like to do things like jump out of planes. It’s all the details. So here are seven things we do, that we think all good lawyers should do – and probably don’t.

1 A good lawyer speaks plain English

The law is complex and there is a lot of jargon – but that’s our job to know that, not our clients’. We make a point of carefully explaining all the elements of a case and we always welcome questions. Often we find that an office is too intimidating a place for some clients to discuss their issue, so we will find a more relaxed environment. Communication is absolutely key and we try our very best to get that right from the first minute.

2 A good lawyer listens

It sounds simple, doesn’t it? Active listening is actually a skill we like to think we’ve honed over the years. Just because we’ve seen dozens of similar cases, it doesn’t mean we can cut our clients’ stories short.  It may be an old saying but it rings true; the devil is in the detail – and so the better we listen, the better we understand the whole situation. Often key details emerge in the course of conversation, usually something you don’t think is important turns out to be very important!

3 A good lawyer is upfront about fees

Most law firms are good at this now – but we like to think we go the extra mile with making our service affordable. Over the years we’ve seen all sorts of models and structures, and we think our Outsource service is pretty cutting edge. We can provide in-house counsel without the long term and/or employment commitment. It’s basically an on-demand lawyer who can work with your team and properly understand your business’s appetite for risk.

4 A good lawyer communicates in a way that suits you as a client

The law is a traditional beast. We probably use more paper than any other industry and sometimes that’s unavoidable. We at Ferguson Legal like to think we’re a little bit more on trend. We love social media and we’re aware that some clients would prefer a quick text, insta or FB message instead of constant emails or post.

5 A good lawyer is both professional and personable

We believe this is one of our strengths. People buy people and if we’re going to be effective lawyers, we have to make working together enjoyable. We hold ourselves to the highest professional standards – but that doesn’t prevent us from being friendly and pleasant company. You never, know you may even smile!

6 A good lawyer knows your business

No man is an island and no legal issue is either. In order to provide the best advice and the best explanation of all possible outcomes, we need to know your business and its appetite for risk. We really relish becoming a part of our clients’ team.

7 A good lawyer builds trust

We know most people don’t like having to call a lawyer – let alone pay for one – but we hope we make the process as painless as possible. Some lawyers give clients the impression they’re not much more than an invoice. We really hate that. We hope clients feel they can trust us, that we’re equally invested in a good outcome and we are in this for the right reasons.

But don’t just take our word for it – give us a call and see what you think of our service. 01224 900025 or email info@fergusonlegal.co.uk