Most people know that lawyers are organized into county-level groups called “bar associations,” which perform all manner of duties from facilitating contact between members to reviewing disciplinary matters. Years ago, an attorney’s county bar association was probably where he or she had almost all of these contacts. As law has become more specialized (and as lawyers have been able to expand their practices geographically through modern transportation and communications), often lawyers are more likely to think of their colleagues as other lawyers who practice in their same field, across the state.
This has certainly been true for me as I practice appellate law. I know from talking to prospective clients that appellate lawyers can be few and far between; I’ve spoken with many people who initially assumed that they needed an attorney from their own town or county, but could not find anyone at all. Only when they broadened their search did they locate my practice. Folks don’t realize that all appeals are handled centrally in Raleigh, and so an appellate lawyer can handle a case originating from most anywhere across the state.
Those of us who practice appellate law, therefore, tend to know one another. Maintaining professionalism and basic courtesy enables us to oppose one another on one day and work together the next. I pride myself on the fact that on multiple occasions, immediately after finishing a case opposite another attorney, that attorney has asked me to assist him or her on their next case. This is probably the lawyer version of “it takes one to know one.” But these referrals don’t only mean that the other attorneys respect my legal ability. It also means that they have found me to be an honorable and trustworthy person.
Nothing makes me appreciate these professional relationships, however, more than an attorney who does not exhibit courtesy and accommodation. This happened to me recently — an attorney whose name I have known for years, and who I’m sure has a wealth of knowledge about legal matters, made an appearance for the other side. He has turned out to be particular, rude, and demanding. When I’m too busy to take a case, I’ll often refer the client out to another appellate attorney. After this experience, I’ll never do that with this particular person. In the end, his lack of professionalism is only hurting his own practice. That wouldn’t be so unfair, except for the fact that I can’t imagine he’s any nicer to his own clients. My advice for any prospective client is to check to see what an attorney’s reputation is beyond just their legal skills. An ounce of niceness will not only make the representation more pleasant, but it will probably mean that your attorney can work more effectively with his peers.