Client Relations

The following are key elements of every Tew Cardenas client relationship:

• Communication:  Clients deserve, and expect, clear and routine communications with their lawyers and advocates.  This ensures no misunderstanding or confusion as to expectations, potential outcomes and costs of the representation.  The Firm's lawyers are trained to and expected to communicate regularly and clearly with all clients.
  
  
• Responsiveness:  Means not only phone calls and other communications are returned promptly, but that there is a follow through on projects or issues discussed.
  
  
• Predictability:  Clients do not like surprises, such as unannounced deadlines, unforeseen results, and unexpected costs.  We endeavor to ensure that clients are rarely, if ever, surprised.
  
  
• Understanding of the Client's Businesses:  In a long-standing, successful relationship, the clients should not have to repeatedly explain the operations of its business.  The lawyer should have sufficient knowledge to foresee potential issues that may affect those operations, and tailor its advice accordingly.
  
  
• Shared Objectives:  It is imperative that the lawyer or advocate clearly understands the client's objectives.  If they are unreasonable, or unattainable, it is the professional's responsibility to point that out, explain why, and offer reasonable alternatives.  A professional's failure to understand the client's objectives, or to agree with them, will likely result in a disappointed or dissatisfied client.  The Firm's practice is to discuss the objectives early, and revisit them as necessary.
   
• Shared Strategies:  The lawyer and client must discuss the appropriate strategies to achieve the desired objectives.  The lawyer and client must be nimble, however, and react to changing circumstances.  Comprehensively thinking strategies through is something the Firm prides itself on.
  
  
• Credibility:  Whether in litigation before a court, negotiating a business deal, or appearing before a governmental body, the Firm is the client's face.  Credibility and reliability are fundamental touchstones of effective advocacy.  A lawyer with a suspect reputation for honesty and credibility will not be an effective advocate.  The Firm is populated with many AV rated, and nationally known lawyers, as well as former public servants and government officials.  We stress to our professionals that reputations are difficult to earn, and easy to lose.
  
  
• Compliance with Client Policies and Procedures:  A lawyer's failure to learn and follow the client's policies and procedures as to outside counsel causes much frustration and wasted effort and, ultimately creates problems in fostering a good relationship.  
  
  
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  Realistic Budgeting:  While budgeting oftentimes is an inexact science, the client is entitled to expect that an experienced professional will be able to predict the tasks required and their approximate cost.  The Firm prepares a budget for its own business, with the full participation of its partners.  It therefore understands the importance of a realistic budget to the success of a business.  We take budgeting seriously.  We also understand the pressures upon a client's legal department to manage and control its outside counsel and the associated costs.  We strive to assist.