A few years ago, we published a blog post titled, “How to Talk to Your Lawyer,” where we explained how to get the best service from KSB School Law. It was surprisingly popular, so this year, as we brace for what will undoubtedly be a challenging, but potentially hugely rewarding school year, we are sharing this information again. This remix brought to you by a Q & A.
Q: Who do I contact?
A: Whoever you want!
Seriously. We constantly emphasize that you should reach out to any of us at any time on any topic. Yes, we do each have areas we specialize in (Steve and Coady are the construction gurus), topics we particularly enjoy (Bobby and Tyler LOVE them some First Amendment stuff), or subjects we have lots of experience in discussing (Karen and Jordan have spent a ton of time defending special education complaints over the past few years). But some attorney licensing rules limit Nebraska clients from talking directly to Tyler or South Dakota clients from talking to anyone other than Tyler, Bobby, or Karen. But please call any of us on any topic, and if we need to share your questions with another attorney we can easily do so. The way our firm is structured, there is no unspoken motive for the attorneys to have “my” clients, and we meet weekly (and more often informally) to share work and discuss legal issues together.
Another appropriate and highly effective strategy is to have Shari, Matt, or Ashley help you! If you call the office (discussed below), they will connect you with the first person available.
Q: Which phone number should I call?
A: Either cell or office is fine -- but not both one after another.
We are happy to get calls at the office and on our cell phones. Clients may call either. We sure would like it if you didn’t call both, and here’s why: our office phones are linked to our cell phones. If you call the office and push # for Bobby, the phone on his desk rings. About 3 seconds later his cell phone rings. If Bobby is out of the office, he is getting calls to his office on his cell phone. We are experimenting with different calling tree and voicemail solutions to keep clients updated on who is in the office each day, should that affect which attorney you wish to reach. Let us know if you have strong feelings on this issue.
Q: What if the lawyer doesn’t answer his/her phone?
A: Leave a message and, if you’re in a hurry, call another KSB lawyer or the office. But first, Leave. A. Message.
One recurring issue with phone calls is a call with no voicemail. If you don’t leave a voicemail, we’ll assume you called one of the other folks in the office or shot us an e-mail. If you want a call back from the specific attorney you called, please leave a voicemail. If you need a quick answer on something, e-mail or text may be the best way to go. If one of us is sitting in a meeting or a conference, we can still get you an answer or forward your question to someone who can. But, please know that if you leave a voicemail at the office, it will be forwarded to our e-mail. Unless you need an immediate answer, voicemail AND e-mail is unnecessary. If you leave one of us a voicemail, there is no need to leave voicemails with each attorney in the office. We regularly check in with one another throughout the day, and Karen and Shari have to Snapchat each other every 37 minutes or one of them dies.
Q: Can I text you?
A: You bet!
We text! Some of us (okay, one of us) while driving, in a way that frightens the rest of the firm. If you would like to text us, please do so. You don’t have to leave a voicemail and send a text. However, if you have a crisis on your hands please call and follow-up with a text so we can respond as soon as possible.
Q: What is your e-mail process?
A: You e-mail. We answer, usually within 24 hours and always within 48 hours.
We e-mail! Probably too much. We sincerely hope there aren’t any studies that show e-mail is bad for your mental health (but if you find one, please e-mail it to us). If you need a quick response from a KSB attorney, and you don’t care who answers, you should e-mail KSB@ksbschoollaw.com, and it will go to everyone in the office. This is a great way to get a fast answer to a legal question. Please continue to e-mail us individually, especially if we have already started to work on an issue with you, but remember the KSB e-mail is there if you have a question you don’t mind being a “jump ball”. If you have not received a response to your e-mail in 48 hours, you should follow-up with our office. We have had cases where a client’s e-mail autofills the wrong information with an old e-mail address, or that were otherwise misdelivered. We work to respond to every client e-mail in that 48-hour window. If we’ve missed the window, something likely happened and give us a call.
Q: Do you fax?
A: OK, Boomer, yes we fax. If we have to.
We can fax. (Just not to Coady . . . just kidding . . . kind of.) We have the ability. Fax if you must. It is not recommended. Scanning and e-mailing will be faster and easier for all parties involved. Even better in cases with multiple documents is sharing a Google folder or Dropbox link.
Q: Can I reach out to you on Social Media?
A: TikTok is for dance videos, not legal advice.
We have social media! We really love it when clients share interesting stuff with us on Twitter or Facebook. However, social media is not a good way to get or give legal advice. If you think you should be able to contact your lawyer via Snapchat or Twitter, congratulations on being one of the first millennial superintendents in Nebraska and South Dakota! Otherwise, please enjoy our social media posts for interesting articles, good (Bobby) and terrible (everyone else) takes on Husker sports (Guess who wrote this part!) and pictures of our dogs.
We hope this communication rundown has been helpful. If you have any questions, please call/e-mail/text as appropriate. For a downloadable pdf with the KSB crew’s contact information, please click here.