A while back, I wrote a post about the day I received a grievance. Fortunately, the result ended in my favor, but the immediate dread feels as close as now as it did then.
Certified letters tend to elicit a Pavlovian response in me. I’ve never received one with anything good like lottery winnings inside. My heart sinks, I resist opening them, and I want whatever’s inside over before it begins.
The distress latches on and affects you until you’ve ground your way to the conclusion. If you’ve never had the misfortune of receiving a grievance yourself, know that it will be an emotional reaction. It feels like a personal attack, and you’ll be immediately defensive.
The lawyer in you will kick into analytical, conquer mode, and you’ll want to pick it apart and start drafting your response.
Don’t. Don’t even analyze it. Hire a lawyer.
You need to become a client. Push aside your DIY mentality and take your own advice. You’ll learn what it feels like to be the clients you counsel every day. Use that experience to better your practice.
