Dear Clients,

1. I am your lawyer.

You have my 24 hour phone number and I ask that you use it if you have questions before you try to figure out the answer yourself.

2. No one else is your lawyer. Your bondsman, significant other, good friend, boss, "friend in New York that's a lawyer," or person you know who “has a good friend that is a lawyer,” is not your lawyer.

3. If someone listed in #2 tells you something that causes you concern, read #1.

4. Calling me.

If you call my office looking for me in the mornings, you will quickly develop an opinion that I am never in the office. I am in court at least 3 mornings a week. Unless I am in trial, I am usually in the office after 2 p.m., Try me then. If you leave me a message on my cell phone voice mail, I will receive it. If you leave a message at the office, it will be sent to me immediately. This information is provided to avoid the occasional routine of calling every hour to learn whether I have received the message.

5. Me calling you.

If I do not call you back right away, it is only for three reasons:

a. Your message did not require an immediate return call, or;

b. I am not able to call you back right away, or;

c. I am on vacation and your message did not require an immediate return call.

6. Vacation? Aren’t you going to be in town every day during the pendency of my case?

No. I can assure you though that during any vacation there will be no hearings, depositions, trials, or any other significant developments in your case that will require my presence. You should consider a vacation as well.

7. Just because a certain result happened in your friend’s case, does not mean it will happen in your case. Even if you tell me 6 times.

8. There won’t always be something going on in your case.

Many times I receive messages from clients saying “What’s going on in my case?” Sometimes we are just in a waiting period. Waiting to receive evidence, waiting to take a deposition, or waiting for court. If you want your case over immediately, go plea guilty now.

9. I will never forget that you are my client and that you have a pending case.

I am not a part of a large law firm, and I do not have hundreds of clients at any one time. My goal is for you to think you are my only client, but you are not. If you cannot understand that I have to meet with other clients and do work on their cases as well, go to law school and be your own lawyer. You can spend all the time with yourself you wish.

10. There is one rule to follow that will relieve your anxiety.

Everything will take longer than expected.

Brian Tannebaum is a criminal defense attorney in Miami, Florida practicing in state and federal court. To learn more about Brian and his firm, Tannebaum Weiss, please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com