Jamal

As a lawyer, success alone will not build your practice, standing, and character. The management of disappointments and losses is also part of the building tools. The outcome of cases is not completely within your control. Judges are human, and humans, no matter how careful or erudite, are susceptible to errors, albeit at different levels. From the onset, talk truth to the case. "We have a good cause to fight", "This could go either way, as you both have strong claims", or "We are on the weak side and shouldn't be here if they agreed to amicable resolution". Give no false hope and speak of nothing in the absolute. "We will win" is forbidden as a pledge, even if the claim is undefended. On the days you lose cases, or when things do not go your way, do not lose your client or let them lose you. Communicate. Give updates. Discuss options. Tell them what you think frankly. Advise them as you would your own brother. Except it is impossible to communicate an unfavourable outcome immediately, do not sleep over it. You will find comfort in keeping it to yourself and lose a sense of the urgency of the matter. Before you realise it, its been a couple of weeks since judgment and your client is not aware. Or you get to hear his broken voice on the call as belligerent judgment creditor invade his workshop. Why should he know the outcome in that manner? If you have been taking the client's calls, do not start avoiding them because of the loss. Do not become hostile or unavailable. It would be difficult to explain the sudden change afterwards. They will remember how you handle their losses and the relationship in the aftermath in far greater detail than they did when the verdict was in their favour.