What occurs after you refer a matter to another lawyer or professional is as important as making the referral. The reason: you want to make sure the person you referred was well taken care of. If they weren’t, this reflects poorly on you.
Our recommendations to maximize the value of a referral made include:
- Contact the person you referred soon after making the referral. Make sure the person’s call was taken or that the e-mail sent or voice mail left was responded to in a timely fashion. Eventually, find out how well the matter was handled, if the results were satisfactory and if the fees charged were as estimated and fair.
- You should report on all of this back to the lawyer or professional to whom you made the referral. They’ll appreciate it, even if part of what you report back is criticism. Of course, you should ask for permission to do this from the client and respect any request for confidentiality.
- We also recommend you refer to more than one provider at the outset. Consider giving three names. At any given time, the person to whom you are making a referral may decline the work. There are good reasons this can occur including they may be too busy to take on the matter, may have a conflict or may not mesh personally with the potential new client or assignment. Giving the person you are referring a choice, in terms of availability, temperament, fees and location, are important considerations. And, notify each provider that you have made the referral.
Referrals reflect directly on you. If handled with sensitivity and followed up on, they will lead to the reciprocation and goodwill you need.