Let's make the assumption that you provide excellent legal services to your client. Let's also assume that your competition can provide equally competent legal services. Which brings up a question: What makes you stand apart from the competition and keeps your client coming back to you? The answer could be a combination of a number of things, such as having in-depth knowledge of your client's industry and business, establishing mutual trust, respect and rapport with the client, and providing exceptional and responsive client service. Another aspect of the client relationship you may wish to consider adding to the mix is the offering of value-added services.

First, what is considered a value-added service? A loose interpretation of what is considered a value-added service is anything that goes beyond a strictly literal rendering of legal opinion. One way to look at it is as the "icing on the cake." These services are not required of the attorney, but these little extras will help build a strong attorney-client relationship.

Go the Extra Mile. Get to know your client. This seems brain-numbingly simple, but ask yourself, "do you really know who you're working for"? Just knowing your client's name, location and annual revenue does not mean you know who they are. Therefore, it is essential to acquire a deeper knowledge of the client's needs. The following questions may help you accomplish this: What and where does the client want to be in one, five or ten years from now? What issues is management currently struggling with? Is there any proposed legislature that could affect future business? What are my contact's top five priorities for the next six months? Who is my client's competition and how do they conduct business? What is the company's business philosophy? Hopefully, by answering these questions (and others you can think of), you will be able to determine what value-added services you can offer to your clientele.

The following is a partial list of the many possible value-added services you could offer clients:

Free in-house educational seminars and workshops

• Create business opportunities for your client by introducing new business contacts
• Send relevant information to a client that is unrelated to the work you are already doing for them
• Offer non-legal firm resources (ie., use of conference room)
• Make yourself as assessable as a friend would (via cell or home phone)
• Do business together (ie., buying client's products and/or services whenever possible)
• Be available to discuss business issues (on a limited non-billable basis)
• If you cannot help a client on a certain situation due to expertise or location, assist them in finding someone who can help

Value-added services are aspects of the lawyer-client relationship that can make the difference between being an attorney for a client and being that client's attorney.