TLIE Top Tip: Promptly Respond to Clients
TLIE Top TipsLawyers must “promptly comply with reasonable requests for information” from our clients. When is a response “prompt?” It depends on the circumstances and the client’s expectations.
Promptness dictated by the circumstances means that the information is provided when the client needs it to meaningfully participate and to make informed decisions without unnecessary time-pressure. Understanding a client’s idea of “promptness” and setting a client’s expectations is critical and should happen early and often in the representation. Regular communication is critical, as the ABA notes in comment 4 to Model Rule 1.4: “A lawyer’s regular communication with clients will minimize the occasions on which a client will need to request information concerning the representation.” Lawyers who take the time to learn their client’s interpretation of “promptly” and who regularly communicate with their clients will minimize the issues that arise when clients feel ignored by their counsel.
