ALA Client Communication and Service 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A legal administrator notices that a key client has not received status updates on their matter for three weeks. What is the BEST immediate action?
- Wait for the attorney to initiate contact
- Send a proactive update summarizing current status and next steps (Correct answer)
- Bill the client for a status call and schedule it next week
- Document the gap in the file and move on
Correct answer: Send a proactive update summarizing current status and next steps
Proactive communication prevents client dissatisfaction and demonstrates the firm's commitment to service excellence.
Question 2: Which metric is MOST useful for measuring client satisfaction in a law firm?
- Billable hours per client
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) (Correct answer)
- Realization rate
- Collection rate
Correct answer: Net Promoter Score (NPS)
NPS measures the likelihood that clients would recommend the firm, directly reflecting overall satisfaction and loyalty.
Question 3: A client calls frustrated because they received a confusing invoice. The legal administrator should FIRST:
- Transfer the call immediately to billing
- Apologize, listen fully to the concern, and offer to review the invoice together (Correct answer)
- Explain that billing practices are standard and non-negotiable
- Ask the client to send a written complaint
Correct answer: Apologize, listen fully to the concern, and offer to review the invoice together
Acknowledging the client's frustration and actively engaging with the issue demonstrates empathy and a service-oriented approach.
Question 4: When drafting a client service policy for a law firm, which element is MOST critical?
- Specifying minimum annual revenue per client
- Defining response time standards for client inquiries (Correct answer)
- Listing all practice areas offered by the firm
- Outlining attorney compensation structures
Correct answer: Defining response time standards for client inquiries
Response time standards set clear expectations and hold staff accountable to timely client communication.
Question 5: A CLM professional is implementing a client feedback program. Which approach provides the MOST actionable data?
- Annual satisfaction survey sent to all clients
- Matter-close surveys sent within 48 hours of case conclusion (Correct answer)
- Informal feedback collected at firm events
- Quarterly phone calls to top-revenue clients only
Correct answer: Matter-close surveys sent within 48 hours of case conclusion
Matter-close surveys capture timely, relevant feedback while the experience is fresh and tied to a specific engagement.
Question 6: An attorney consistently fails to return client calls within the firm's 24-hour policy. As a legal administrator, the appropriate escalation path is:
- Directly contact clients on the attorney's behalf without disclosure
- Document the pattern and raise it with the supervising partner or practice group leader (Correct answer)
- Send an anonymous tip to the state bar
- Ignore it as attorney-client relationships are outside administrator scope
Correct answer: Document the pattern and raise it with the supervising partner or practice group leader
Documenting and escalating through proper internal channels addresses the performance issue while maintaining professional boundaries.
Question 7: Which communication channel is generally LEAST appropriate for transmitting confidential client documents?
- Encrypted client portal
- Secure email with password-protected attachments
- Standard unencrypted personal email (Correct answer)
- Encrypted file transfer service
Correct answer: Standard unencrypted personal email
Standard unencrypted email does not meet security requirements for confidential legal information and exposes the firm to ethical and liability risks.
ALA Client Communication and Service 2
A legal administrator notices that a key client has not received status updates on their matter for three weeks.
What is the BEST immediate action?