Defend Me!

Client control is quite a difficult thing, as anyone who has had client contact knows. There seems to be an inverse ratio - the clients who have smaller dollar value cases want a ton of personal attention and demand to know every teeny tiny thing that goes on (i.e. phone calls, emails, letters, etc.), while clients who have millions on the line don't seem to pay attention. I suppose it makes sense though. The large dollar value client generally has far bigger fish to fry, while the smaller dollar value client has nothing else going on. However, I really don't want to justify every minute of every day, especially when I'm not being paid by the hour. Maybe I'm off base here, but if someone from their office calls me and wants to verify my mailing address, I don't feel the need to then make a phone call to the client to "keep them in the loop," especially since the call to the client will surely take longer than the 30 second phone call wherein the opposing counsel called to verify the address!

Anyway...

So, today, I get to defend a deposition today. The biggest problem I/we anticipate is controlling what the client says. Here's the thing - your deposition is NOT the time to tell your story. You'll get a chance, but this is not it. Your chance will be either in trial where I (as your lawyer, where I can guide what you say and control the pace, flow of facts, and cut you off if you're saying something I don't want you to say!) can be with you while you tell your story, or, God willing, after we settle and you get a lot of cash, you will tell your therapist all about it.

This is my second deposition to defend, ever, and I'm still excited regardless of the potential problems. The lawyer who I'm filling in for reminded me of one very important fact - how I perform in this deposition will have no impact on the outcome of the case. My role is simply gatekeeper, not proactive guard. And maybe this is a very different approach than many (read: all that I've ever encountered) defense attorneys. They seem to have an undying need to interject EVERY objection they ever learned in evidence class, whether or not it actually applies.

So, have a fabulous day! I'll be hopping in the shower and heading out to the depo! Yay! I'm finally feeling like this whole "lawyer" thing is becoming more natural to me.