Getting past the flake factor

I don't know if this is the case anymore, but when I started working as a contract attorney back in 1991, one of the biggest hurdles facing me was what I called the "flake factor." Back then, the vast majority of attorneys to take on the job of contract work were people who simply could not hold a job in a regular law firm. They had problems ranging from personality disorders to substance abuse problems to sheer incompetence. Those law firms that were brave enough to hire them on a contract basis discovered that they couldn't meet deadlines, failed to show up at hearings, and were abusive at depositions.

I was fortunate enough to overcome the flake factor in a single easy step. I was gainfully employed at my old law firm when I made a conscious decision to become a career contract attorney. I discovered that I had no knack whatsoever for corporate politics, and that I found the document review niche in which I'd found myself paralytically boring. Most importantly, I wanted a dog. Working out of my home, doing the research and writing I love so much seemed to be the perfect option, especially since my typing skills and the increasing affordability of personal computers meant that I could give my clients finished products (more on that in another post) without using their secretaries or needing a secretary of my own.

All of this meant that I left my law firm on my own terms, and smelling like a rose. The firm would have kept me on full time if I hadn't served notice. Even more importantly, because I knew about the cases that were in play, and because I was a good and reliable attorney, my old law firm continued to give me work on a contract basis after a I left. It wasn't a lot of work, and it didn't last more than a year, but it was more than enough to establish my bona fides as a reliable attorney. When I went looking for new clients, I was always sure to let them know that I was still working for my old firm. That firm still trusted me.

Nowadays, I prove my bona fides the old fashioned way -- by doing a good job for any new clients who come along. I arrive on time for appointments, keep my clients posted on a daily (or every other day) basis about my progress on the project, and hand in my assignments on time. Indeed, I hand them in well in advance of the time to ensure that, if I've erred, any mistakes I've made can be corrected before the deadline (and there's always a deadline) gets too close.