Driving the Distance
Firm's personal injury clients get specialized treatment from mobile law office.

By: Emily Nash  Legal Assistant Today, September/October 2001

In the deadline, factually dominated legal world, sometimes interviewing a new client is an assembly-line extraction of cold impersonal facts. However, the Boston-based law firm of Rainer & Rainer is warming up the process by reaching out to its clients in a much more personal and face-to-face way.

On any given day, one might see paralegal Frank Clagon, Jr., 38, driving through Boston streets, bringing the mobile law office to the front doors of the firm's injured clients. Clagon operates the firm's $45,000.00 mobile law office. Clagon uses the minibus to reach out to thousands of potential clients who are injured or don't have transportation to the firm. The bus is fully equipped with cell phones, radio connection as well as a generator for heating and cooling. The bus includes nine cushioned leather seats, a desk and a bright red racing stripe that promotes Web site mobilelawoffice.com and a toll-free number.

Robert K. Rainer, managing and sole partner of the 15 attorney law firm, wanted to open offices that would serve several different communities, said Dawn Thomas, the firm's marketing and advertising coordinator. Rainer already had three offices in Massachusetts, two in Revere and one in New Bedford.

"He then thought about an office that goes out to see clients," Thomas said. This has proven to be much more cost efficient and very helpful when dealing with injured individuals."

In June of 1999, the mobile law office saw its first client. In its first 12 months, 1500 clients were served and that generated $425,000.00 n revenue. On average, Clagon sees five to seven clients a day.

Before being trained as a paralegal and investigator by Rainer, Clagon's previous job experience as a Greyhound bus driver helped make him a perfect match for the mobile enterprise.

"Frank is an intelligent, hard working and receptive person", said Thomas, explaining why Clagon was chosen for the job.

Clagon has a reputation for his communication skills and making people feel at ease. Clagon said he believes it's important to assess what kind of mood the client is in before they start talking shop.

When Rachel Smith (Not her real name) had her auto accident, she was distraught over an unrelated issue. Her 95-year-old mother was dying. Before Clagon started taking notes about her case, he spent some time listening to her other concerns.

"She had no one else to talk to. I told her, don't worry. Keep it in the Lord's hands", said Clagon, who spent two hours on an appointment that usually takes only 20 minutes.

Clagon's job centers around gathering information and interviewing witnesses on injury, worker's compensation, discrimination and other cases. He submits the information to Rainer, who has one of the firm's attorneys work the case.

Although The Boston Globe recently called The Mobile Law Office a profitable enterprise of convenience, Rainer told the paper that "reaction to his rolling law office has elicited some disdain" in the legal community. But the firm's clients feel differently.

John Sanders, a client, was stuck without transportation after he had been in an automobile accident and sought help from the firm.

"(The Mobile Law Office) is good because a lot of people can't make it to the office," Sanders said. "(Clagon felt) like a friend. He's the kind of person you welcome in your home," he said.