30 <strong>Santa</strong> <strong><strong>Bar</strong>bara</strong> <strong>Lawyer</strong>
The Buck starts Here By li d a sideris To the general public, the <strong>Lawyer</strong> Referral Service is the face of the <strong>County</strong> <strong>Bar</strong>. This same general public often harbors, at a minimum, a casual prejudice toward lawyers. According to a 2006 Harris poll, in a review of twenty-three professions, Americans found the top three most trustworthy to be doctors, teachers and scientists. Actors, lawyers and stockbrokers sat squarely at the bottom. Of all possible criteria, a lawyer is perhaps most critically judged by what others say about him or her. According to How to Build Your Reputation – The Secrets of Becoming the ‘Go To’ Professional in a Crowded Marketplace by Rob Brown, reputation is an important silent partner and necessary asset in any profession. It’s not enough to be the best; a professional must be viewed by others as being the best. A reputation may be developed by accident, by doing a great job on a consistent basis, or by hiring a public relations team to strategically and systematically decide what the professional should be known for and to create that perception accordingly. Why go to all the trouble of developing an exemplary reputation? Because it’s worth it. There are numerous positive outcomes of a favorable reputation in business. For one, it helps a professional stand out from the crowd. This is, after all, the age of a “surplus society” where many individuals exist with similar qualifications and experience. When someone needs what you do, you want to be thought of first. You want to be the number one professional choice. A strong reputation safeguards this. To influence the public perception of the <strong>Lawyer</strong> Referral Service and to build a favorable reputation, we do our best to personify the following: Courtesy: This often overlooked, underestimated at- Courtesy immediately elevates a professional to the status of a thoughtful, conscientious, intelligent person, all of which are necessary partners of a positive reputation.... February 2010 31 <strong>Lawyer</strong> Referral Service Spotlight tribute is so simple it’s forgotten more than followed. Dr. Gary Wood, social psychologist and author, says manners provide an easy way to get along with others, especially during tough economic times. He states: “There is great power to be found in the fine detail. Good manners and social courtesy cost nothing and can have a profound effect on other Lida Sideris people. We can literally make someone’s day and help to reduce their stress by paying attention to these little things, which then has a knock-on effect in our own lives. A smile or a kind word can actually set us up for the day, making it more likely that we focus on the good things rather than the doom and gloom.” Courtesy immediately elevates a professional to the status of a thoughtful, conscientious, intelligent person, all of which are necessary partners of a positive reputation; Communication: No one likes to be ignored. LRS calls are promptly returned and callers receive periodic updates after the initial call so that they can rest assured the LRS is working to find them the right attorney. The LRS also follows up with callers after they’ve been matched with an attorney to insure satisfaction; Competence: We do our best to understand and meet our callers’ and our attorneys’ needs. The <strong>Lawyer</strong> Referral Service is not a sales organization, yet we do not underestimate the value of customer service. The <strong>Santa</strong> <strong><strong>Bar</strong>bara</strong> <strong>County</strong> <strong>Bar</strong> <strong>Association</strong> <strong>Lawyer</strong> Referral Service is State <strong>Bar</strong> certified and sponsored by the <strong>Santa</strong> <strong><strong>Bar</strong>bara</strong> <strong>County</strong> <strong>Bar</strong> <strong>Association</strong>. For more information, please call (805) 569-9400 or e-mail director@sblawyerreferralservice.org. Lida Sideris is the new Executive Director of the <strong>Santa</strong> <strong><strong>Bar</strong>bara</strong> <strong>County</strong> <strong>Bar</strong> <strong>Association</strong>. Previously, she served as Director of Business Affairs for Lorimar-Telepictures and attorney for the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers.