When I sent my car for repair, I paid a deposit for the mechanic to diagnose the issue. Once the issue was identified, I was provided with a fee quote. After agreeing to the fee quote, I was asked to pay 50% of the charges upfront before any further work was done.

“Fair enough,” I thought. The mechanic had to pay for the replacement parts. If he got the replacement parts from his supplier and I changed my mind about the repair, he would be out of pocket.

In the legal profession, at least in my case, we sometimes face resistance from clients when we request upfront payment. There have been occasions when legal services were rendered, and it took considerable effort to get payments. It’s disheartening, and we’ve learned from these experiences.

I’m reminded of a line from The Authentic Lawyer Manifesto:

“We deal with others honestly, fairly, and with integrity and ask others to do the same.”

That’s my hope for the legal profession.

#MalaysianCorporateLawyer

This post first posted on LinkedIn on 27 June 2024.