WHAT TO DO WHEN ...
YOU AND YOUR CLIENT HAVE OPPOSING POLITICAL VIEWS By Nichole M. Verville
M
y career as an attorney has mostly involved representing indigent individuals in one area of law or another. As a result, for the most part, I have not chosen my clients but rather have had them assigned to me, which has resulted in me representing a wide variety of individuals. Inevitably, there have been more than a few with political views that are the polar opposite of mine; especially after I relocated to a very conservative part of the state. It is easy enough to say, “Well, just don’t talk about politics.” The problem with that advice is that for some people, their political views are part and parcel of who they are. So what do you do when a client wants or needs to discuss their politics with you and they are so different from your own? My answer, as odd as it may seem, is to listen. Listen to your client. Listen to what they are saying and put yourself in their shoes. When your client speaks to you, no matter what the topic is, that conversation provides insight into your client. Insight into what makes your
client tick is what will help you effectively represent them. If your client is a sovereign citizen and doesn’t acknowledge or even believe in the legal process they are being subjected to, you need to know that in order to build rapport with them. You do not need to agree with your client. Clients will pick up on disingenuousness and that will destroy your relationship with them. What clients often need, more than anything, is for someone to listen to them. People have an innate desire to feel heard. Obviously, if the conversation strays too far afield from what you really need to be discussing with your client, you need to redirect the conversation to something more productive. But for a little while, just listen.
Nichole M. Verville can be reached at NMVerville@gmail.com. She has experience in criminal defense, dependency defense, restraining orders, and Social Security on the applicant's side. After passing the bar exam in 2013, she obtained an LL.M. in Trial Advocacy from California Western School of Law.
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