Extra March Blog

     Have you ever had one of those roommates that seem completely adequate until you actually have a conversation with them and they say something like... "Haha yeah, I watch you in your sleep."

     Yeah neither have I, but that would be scary though right? I have graciously been given the honor of working with our two newly hired employees. I consider them roommates, because most days I see them for more hours than I actually sleep. Working in a new environment, being surrounded by people you don't know, having to learn a whole new system of doing everything may be a little daunting in the beginning...and in the middle...and probably in the end for some introverts. When you get hired by someone/where new, you are not just changing jobs, you're changing lifestyles. Though this could be worrisome, our law office processes (thankfully) haven't changed much throughout the years. They may have mutated to better fit the needs of our client base, or to gain efficiency in some aspects, but overall when this business was established, the owners worked out the kinks through years of trial and error so that now it should be near flawless. My new associates will soon come to realize our methodology and perhaps even embrace it with positivity. Either way, I have yet to have a personal conversation with them, so I'm not quite sure how they will embrace the transition...
     Similar to a roommate, I will begin to make myself more known to them slowly but surely (not all at once, I mean we don't want them to quit), I will start to gain their trust and respect as I hope they will earn mine in order to create a better relationship with each of them. I have found productivity to benefit from stronger associate relationships. Not only does team work come into play, but overall you want to work harder, faster and with more vigor when you feel confident you are in a comfortable, positive and friendly environment. When you feel that efforts are not only recognized (by your boss/coworker) but appreciated, a more sustainable chain of command is created and a business becomes pleasantly efficient.

Blog 18: Fourth Interview Prep.

20 Open Ended Questions...

1. Why do you consider yourself to be an expert in this particular field of law?
2. In your eyes, how does immigration effect society as a whole?
3. How is what you do different than lets just say, a person who does the same thing as you, but works directly for the government?
4. Do you believe the current immigration problem will ever be completely solved?
5. Why is it important to have affordable rates for what you do in your profession?
6. Is it possible for an attorney's credibility to already be established before the he/she has even met with the client?
7. How can an attorney best establish good credibility from the perception of a client?
8. Do you believe that credibility can be transferred with a title, why or why not?
9. How would you begin to establish credibility amongst a team?
10. What does integrity mean to you?
11. How is it possible, if at all, to continuously represent your honest authentic integrity while representing your client?
12. Can you give an example of demonstrating integrity in the workplace?
13. Do you think its possible for the definition of integrity to become skewed to the point of no recognition due to people's personal biases?
14. How do you overcome the mental battle to take the easy way out of things during long nights, and stacks of paperwork?
15. What other strengths such as dignity and nobility do you associate with the word 'attorney'?
16. What do you feel is the most significant factor in ensuring a clients confidence that the attorney will exert his/her best ability upon their clients case?
17. How can a firm or attorney best announce news to a client that is not in their favor?
18. Which part of your job can you say you are most proud of?
19. What do you believe is the best type of advertisement for your line of work? Word of mouth, commercials, ads...
20. Can you give me an example of your greatest failure working in your job and explain to me how you learned from it?
21. My project is heavily focused on customer service, in your opinion what is the difference between good and exceptional customer service?

Blog 17: Answer 3

My Current Essential Question: What is the most significant factor in ensuring a client's confidence that the attorney will exert his her best ability upon their immigration case?

Third Answer: The most important factor in ensuring a client's confidence in their attorney is by having the attorney and their firm consistently represent authentic integrity.

"Establishing Credibility: Inspiring Trust in Others." Establishing Credibility. MindTools, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.

     I have often found myself at a place called The Donut Man at 2am. Accompanied by great friends, most of the time I end up going home saying "No, I was wrong before. This has been the greatest night of my life." Sometimes half way through it, I'll be somewhere past that moment of 'stomach aching, roll on the floor, far past knee slapping, can't inhale, someone's thumb is hovering over 911, I just did an ab workout yesterday and I'm really feeling it' kind of laughter and I'll look at my surroundings and suddenly find myself lost my own thoughts. 'How on Earth did my parents let me go out tonight? How can they have so much confidence in me? I am so lucky!" Then I remember, it's not luck at all! It's trust. This is hard earned TRUST I'm enjoying right now. I don't dare create mishaps for myself, not so much in fear of losing their trust, but in gratitude for the position I am in. It is not that I am terrified of knocking my tower of trust blocks down, it is that I need to maintain this solid foundation so that I can continue building up.

     Ever since I was a little girl and my mom turned her back on the cookie dough smeared bowl to wash her hands saying, "Don't touch the bowl Marissa..." I've been waiting for these moments. The moments of free will where I could have the bowl in front of me and do what whatever I please with it! Lick that bowl like a Nutella covered spoon, get a stomach ache and be bad or listen to instructions, save the calories and future lecture while being good. Now every time I have a bowl in front of me (I do hope you realize we are now speaking theoretically), I do the same thing I did when I was a child. I don't touch it. Do you see where it got me now? It was all worth it. In the end, I got trust AND sugar so life ended up working out.

     The point is, trust must be earned and accumulated over time in any situation/occupation. It sure would make things easier if along the way, the attorney proved himself to actually be trustworthy by demonstrating some integrity. This goes for his firm as well. When a mistake is made, own up to it and tell the client. If progress is made, great but don't go on boasting about it, the job isn't done yet. Customers will stay loyal if they find a purpose worth their devotion. It doesn't all happen at once- Baby steps people. Over time if there aren't any major slip ups, clients will demonstrate their confidence. Having the clients confidence always helps an attorney's moral, which then in state helps build a better case. When you have an attorney working on a case with the diligent adoration of their client, it will make the attorney want to be more devoted just knowing that they have the support. There will be times, the attorney will have the bowl in front of him, it's a late night, he could argue a weak case, type up a snappy brief and just be done for the night...but you know what? If my third answer is correct, the attorney will get the bowl throw it on the ground, burn it and then spit on it, TWICE. He will write up a fantastic brief, catch up on sleep later (who needs it anyways) and create a great argument. It's these kinds of things that build trust. Having integrity, honesty, dedication and resisting when it seems like no other cookie dough covered bowl will ever be more deliciously tempting that the one right in front of you.

     After all, if the bowl was in front of you, what would you do?