Lemme Clarify, I Don’t Do Traffic Defense OR Represent Clients
October 2, 2012<rant on>
I just got off a call from a very frustrated gentleman who needed help with a ‘ticket on appeal’. I tried very gently to explain to him that a) I’m a paralegal and don’t work with the general public; b) I only work with attorneys; and c) I don’t do traffic cases and even if I did, I only work with attorneys.
I asked him how he got my name and he said he was referred by ‘Mike’. Um, okay, Mike who? “Uh, I don’t know. He just told me to call you … it’s on appeal”
Again, I explain that I can’t help him and I apologize that this Mike person has wasted his time. Again I ask who made the referral – maybe the name of the firm or phone number so I can talk to Mike and figure out why he thinks so highly of my services that he is sending clients that I cannot possibly help.
I Googled the firm name – it’s a traffic defense mill. So I called to speak to Mike. Tiffany picked up the call and confirmed that there is a Mike with the firm. I asked for Mike’s last name; maybe he is one of the many Mikes with whom I am connected. No such luck. I don’t recognize his name. So I ask Tiffany to transfer me to his voicemail.
Now I’m waiting for a call back to find out why an attorney would pawn off some poor schmoe by referring him to a paralegal.
Seriously, nothing in my advertising even hints at traffic defense and EVERYTHING says I only work with lawyers. What sort of ‘legitimate’ attorney would ever think it was ethical to send a client to a paralegal for representation???
<rant off>
October 9th, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Well put.