Volume 60, January 2009

In This Issue: Forwarding as a Partnership National Business Institute (NBI) Continuing Education Upcoming Events

Forwarding as a Partnership  By Kim Rathbone, Practice Partner and Forwarding Network Manager for the Insurance Subrogation Department "You must take the good with the bad."  Not true!  "When you make money, we make money."  Ahhhh, very true!  Of course, every relationship between client and attorney is different, and the relationship with a forwarder/client and receiving attorney has its own unique benefits and challenges as well.  This is why we view our relationship with our receiving counsel as a partnership, not just a vendor relationship.  There are several key components for developing a successful partnership: 1)  Honesty and Openness in the Relationship If files were not what you expected, you are struggling in a certain area, a file has an unfavorable result, the volume is too high, etc., the best thing the receiving attorney can do is advise the forwarder of the issue or need that they have.  If the problem has already been identified and an answer is on its way, you may be able to be part of the solution.  If the forwarder does not yet know of the particular issue, they need to know in order for your business and theirs to succeed.  The lines of communication should always stay open, even when the discussions are about difficult problems. Personally, I have found that a scheduled conference call or an in-person visit to the counsel have been the best ways to help to resolve any business issue.  That way, both parties are prepared and have time set aside.  2)  Understand the Philosophy of the Forwarder and the Type of Business Being Forwarded It is important for everyone to understand what your philosophy is as compared with the forwarder's philosophy.  A clash of the cultures could end in a disastrous result if not watched carefully.  Perhaps you don't do any collections at all.  Maybe you pride yourself with having hard-core collectors.  Knowing your strengths and the strengths of your forwarders will help to plan how to work the business being sent.  For example, if your forwarder (or the client) attempts pre-suit collections and then sends the file to you, this does not mean the files are valueless.  It should mean it is a suit-ready portfolio of files.  If you and your forwarder are aware of how the other does business, you will know the best way to make the most money for both of you.  Read the complete article, "Forwarding as a Partnership".

National Business Institute (NBI) - Continuing Education Our partner in continuing education National Business Institute, the nation's largest public provider of continuing education, offers tuition savings on ALL NBI continuing education courses for NL Members & Registered NL Users! Check out some hot topics offered in the coming months (check out the Teleconferences too!)

Don't take things personally. Hallie Crawford, the author of Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles, suggests we remember that the actions of our clients and coworkers are rarely about us. By not taking what happens at work personally, you'll be better able to do your job and go home with a smile. 

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 The YouveGotClaims® service electronically delivers new collection claims to an unlimited number of law firms and other service providers, and then allows the senders of the claims to track, manage and analyze both the collection portfolios and the vendors servicing those portfolios.