Legal Strategy Sessions – Goodlawyer Playbook

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Understanding how to use Legal Strategy Sessions to grow your practice on Goodlawyer.

What is a Legal Strategy Session?

A Legal Strategy Session is a 45-minute to 1-hour time block lawyers can use as a flexible tool to best meet their client’s needs.

A Legal Strategy Session can be thought of as an extended consultation. Sometimes, 15-minutes simply isn’t enough time to get a clear understanding of a client’s legal situation, especially when the issue is complex!

Legal Strategy Sessions allow lawyers to dig into the legal issues facing the client and help formulate a plan of action to get them addressed.

Key points

▶️ Legal Strategy Sessions are 45-minutes to 1-hour in length and can be used when an Advice Session cannot cover the matter with your client.

▶️ If you are booked for an Advice Session you believe will take longer than 30-minutes, consider recommending a Legal Strategy Session.

▶️ No written deliverables are expected with Legal Strategy Sessions.

▶️ Legal Strategy Sessions are not meant as a workaround of the billable hour. If your client requires a block of time, send them a Custom Quote.

How are Legal Strategy Sessions Meant to be Used?

Legal Strategy Sessions are intentionally designed to be a flexible tool available to lawyers to best meet the needs of the client.

There are few parameters placed on how to use this time (more on restrictions below).

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Example, the 1-hour time block could be spent on the phone with the client scoping the work and getting more details about their business. It could also be spent doing 45-minutes of basic research with a 15-minute summary call at the end.

There are multiple different options, and lawyers can allocate this hour as they see fit.

Importantly (as with any other Service over Goodlawyer), always make sure your client knows how you will use the hour before the work begins.

Over 80% of the client issues that arise over the Platform come from simple miscommunications. Save yourself headaches, and make sure the client knows what they can expect!

How Should Legal Strategy Sessions NOT be Used?

Two important limitations on Legal Strategy Sessions should be remembered:

Legal Strategy Sessions are not meant to be a replacement for the billable hour. Lawyers should not book multiple Legal Strategy Sessions back to back as a mechanism to charge by the hour. If the matter will take longer than 1-hour, a Custom Service should be created for the work.

Legal Strategy Sessions are not meant for substantive legal work. So, there are no written deliverables expected at the end of a Legal Strategy Session (e.g., opinions, contract reviews, letters, etc.).

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Client’s may request a summary email of your discussion. While this is permitted, it should be factored into the 1-hour time allotment of the Legal Strategy Session.

If a written deliverable is needed, the lawyer should recommend a Fixed Fee or Custom Service that best captures the value of the work.

When Should I Recommend a Legal Strategy Session to my Client?

Typically, a client will first book you for an Advice Session. After reviewing the client’s submission, or during the call, you may realize that 15-30 minutes cannot address the client’s needs.

Here, a Legal Strategy Session can be recommended. The goal is to allow yourself adequate time to properly understand, assess, and develop a plan of action with your client to address their legal needs.

Pricing

Regular Pricing: $199 + Tax

$160 legal fee (paid to Lawyers)

$39 service fee (paid to Goodlawyer)

Goodlawyer Pro Pricing: $99 + Tax

$80 legal fee (paid to Lawyers)

$19 service fee (paid to Goodlawyer)

FAQs

❓ Can I Change an Initial Consult to a Legal Strategy Session During the Call?

Yes! If you begin a conversation with a client and realize it will take more than 30-minutes to complete, you can recommend they switch to a Legal Strategy Session.

After the call, simply close the Initial Consultation without billing and create (and bill) a new service for the Legal Strategy Session.

❓Can I give the Client a Written Deliverable?

Yes, using the hour is at the Lawyer’s discretion (so long as it is in the best interest of the client). However, you will likely not receive the compensation you otherwise would if you booked a Fixed Fee or Custom Service through the Platform. So, using Strategy Sessions to deliver substantive work is discouraged.

❓Can I Recommend other Legal Services During the Strategy Session?

Yes! If a client is booking a Legal Strategy Session, they will likely require additional work (Fixed-Fee or Custom Service). Additional services can be suggested to the client during, or after a Legal Strategy Session.

If the client requires other Legal Services, make sure you follow up by sending them a Quote or a Suggestion through the Platform.

❓What if 1-hour is Not Enough Time?

If you require more time than the 1-hour Legal Strategy Session, lawyers are permitted, at their sole discretion, to book no more than 1 additional Legal Strategy Session with the client.

In all events, you should send the client a Custom Quote for any additional time required (as you can charge a higher rate for your time).

For further clarity, a client may not book back-to-back Legal Strategy Sessions with the lawyer. Only the lawyer may recommend this extra Legal Strategy Session to the Client.

❓What if I Can’t answer or Take on the Client’s Matter?

Usually, lawyers should firmly understand the Client’s issue before booking a Legal Strategy Session.

Still, if a matter comes up beyond the scope of your practice, please contact the Legal Concierge™ Team who can help match the client with another lawyer.

❓How Can I Get the Most Out of Legal Strategy Sessions?

At the outset of a Legal Strategy Session, ensure you:

Let the client know what to expect (e.g., no written deliverable).

Let the client know how you will use the time (e.g., conversation, research, etc.).