MODULE 3

HANDLING TELEPHONE CALLS IN A LAW OFFICE

Steps in handling incoming telephone call:

Step one : Always have a ready writing tool near the telephone.
Step two : Answer the call promptly.
Step Three : Identify your company and yourself courteously.
Step Four : Screen the caller tactfully.
Step Five : When the called person is not around, it is your responsibility to offer
help and assist the caller, such as:
1. Offer to take a message.
2. Offer to get the telephone number and promise a return call.
3. Advise the caller to call back or call again.
4. You may refer the caller to someone in the office who can be of help.
Step Six : Terminate the call courteously.
Step Seven : Fill up the message slip and forward to a person concerned for action.
(see the attached file)

THE PRACTICE OF EMPATHY AND TACTFULNESS IN HANDLING TELEPHONE

CALLS is important in a law office.

Empathy is the ability to put oneself in the shoe of another person.

Tactfulness means saying the right thing at the right time.

You will also learn that some clients who call the office need only to have a sympathetic
listener of their concerns. You may do the following:

 You will patiently listen to their complaints and worries with sympathy and
understanding.
 With clients like this, all you need to do is listen and state from time to time:
“I understand how you feel.”
“I know that Atty. Sanchez is concerned about your situation and is working
on your case”.
“I understand your situation, Mrs. ______”.

SOME CALLERS ARE WHAT YOU CONSIDER “DIFFICULT CALLERS”:

 “Difficult callers” are people who call the office frequently and make
unreasonable demands. Dealing with them requires particular kind of tact and
skill and the ability to control your emotions”.
YOUR LAW OFFICE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY:

Every legal office assistant needs an accurate, up-to-date record of names, addresses,
phone numbers, and other pertinent information about people the company is frequently
in contact with.

Such a directory would include not only information about regular clients but also any of
the following:

 Telephone numbers of the court with which the firm deals. This is especially
important in a large city where there are many courts, each with many
departments, and each department with its own staff.
 Officers of local BIR tax offices and other government and private offices.
 Legal associations to which the lawyer belongs, together with the information
about important members or committee chairmen.
 Names, addresses, and phone numbers of the lawyer’s doctor, dentist,
insurance broker, and accountant, and the like.
 The lawyer’s home phone number and address, addresses and numbers of
other family members, including any of his children who do not live at home.
 The number of legal office supplies firms from which you purchase your office
supplies.
 The telephone number of printers you used to print special forms and
stationery for the firm.
 Telephone numbers of current clients.
 The number for local directory information and the number for long-distance
directory information including the area code numbers of the different
provinces and the different country code numbers.
 List of all the Emergency numbers (hospital, police, fire, etc.) for easy access
to these numbers, you may place them near your telephone equipment.
 The attorney’s social security number and other information that may needed
from time to time to complete forms for him. These can be noted in a special
section at the back of the directory.
 The office telephone directory should be updated from time to time for
accuracy of entries. You will need these numbers when placing outgoing
telephone calls.