WHAT SHOULD LAWYERS DO WHEN CLIENTS DO NOT TRUST ADVICE?
(LITIGATION LAWYER IN HO CHI MINH CITY)
With the refinement of the Law on Lawyers and the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Vietnamese Lawyers, the rights and obligations between lawyers and clients have been clearly defined. Within this framework, lawyers must uphold and comply with the law.
If a client does not accept a lawyer’s advice on resolving a case according to legal and ethical standards, despite the lawyer’s convincing analysis, Subsection 13.1.2 of Rule 13, Section 3 of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Lawyers allows the lawyer to refuse to continue with the case. But is that enough? Notably, there is a clear disparity in professional knowledge, legal experience, and understanding of legal consequences in the relationship between lawyers and clients.
Therefore, lawyers need to focus first on fulfilling their social role and acting as professional legal service providers. Lawyers must manage situations where the client does not trust their advice. Here are some strategies that can be implemented to rebuild trust and improve the relationship:
1. Listen Carefully: Repeatedly, and as often as necessary, listen to every concern and piece of feedback from the client as thoroughly and specifically as possible. Sometimes, understanding the root cause of distrust can help you address the issue more effectively. Listening from the perspective of others will also help you improve yourself.
2. Patience and Respect for Clients: Avoid being hasty, complacent, or one-sided; instead, maintain a patient attitude and respect the opinions of clients. Don’t try to convince them by imposing your viewpoints. While we must respect legal boundaries, differing opinions are a personal matter as long as they remain within the law.
3. Provide Additional Information and Persuade: Offer additional information, data, or real-life examples to support your argument most reasonably and logically. This helps clients better understand the lawyer’s perspective and the effectiveness of the advice given.
4. Identify the Problem: Understanding the client’s concerns and the nature of the issues they worry about is crucial for providing specific solutions to each problem. It is the lawyer’s responsibility to resolve and address these issues rather than create additional complications. Identifying the issue also strengthens arguments and clarifies the effectiveness of the lawyer’s advice.
5. Consult with a Third Party: If possible and appropriate, suggest that the client consult with another reputable legal professional if they remain unsure about your advice.
6. Face-to-Face Meetings: Face-to-face legal advice is always powerful, and delivered in a spirit of goodwill and clarity. Therefore, it is recommended to propose a face-to-face meeting to further discuss the issue and build a relationship between the lawyer and the client.
7. Reconsider the Consultation Approach: With a spirit of learning, the lawyer should also reassess and evaluate their legal advisory methods to ensure that they are communicating information, legal regulations, and advice accurately and persuasively.
8. Build Trust: Building and reinforcing trust with clients is a long-term process. Whether the case is long-term or short-term, always strive to be persistent and continually improve your communication and legal advisory skills to gradually build trust with clients. Positive and meaningful interactions always hold value.
Professional lawyers should be client-oriented, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that clients feel supported and confident in their professional competence. Although building trust can take time and effort, patience and professionalism can lead to improved client relationships and more effective work.
We are pleased to welcome you at the following addresses:
Lawyer Nguyen Thanh Trung or HT LEGAL VN LAW FIRM
Office 1: 37/12 Alley 602 Dien Bien Phu, Ward 22, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City (Next to Ward 22 People’s Committee)
Office 2: 207B Nguyen Phuc Chu, Ward 15, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Office 3: No. 5 Alley 252/115, Tay Son Street, Trung Liet Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Email: info@htlegalvn.com Hotline: 09 6161 4040 – 09 4517 4040
