Episode 1: Welcome to the first episode of the, “Is It Time for a Lawyer?” podcast, with attorney George S. Lamb. As we launch the podcast, we decided it would be beneficial to introduce the listeners to George and his legal practice, in Louisville, Kentucky. Meet George S. Lamb George actually has a business background. This experience continues to have an influence on how he practices law and on his interactions with his clients. George has a business degree from the University of Kentucky. He began his career in international shipping, which can be both chaotic and challenging. He started in Charlotte and later moved to Cincinnati. George made the decision to go to law school, full-time. This brought him back to Louisville. He’s married with two children (one in college and the other in high school). The benefit of his business experience is noticeable in how looks at situations, analyzes the various issues and works to achieve efficient outcomes for his clients. George Handles Various Types of Cases Primarily, George handles cases involving family law issues. He also has significant experience with personal injury cases and Kentucky workers’ compensation claim. George devotes a portion of his practice to probate law and related matters. He can also handle some criminal issues, such as a DUI charge. In family law, divorce cases typically also include child custody and visitation, child support, mediation and other matters. From time to time, this could mean George assists his clients with domestic violence situations (EPO, DVO or IPO). George’s personal injury practice typically involves automobile accident cases, work injuries, slip and fall cases, premises liability cases and dog bite claims. In the area of Probate, George often assists with opening an estate for someone who is recently deceased. If the person died with a Will, he/she is considered “testate.” If there is no Will, that person is considered “intestate.” There’s a process for handling the estate, depending on which type of situation is being handled. He often works with clients to need him to draft a Will or Living Will. Properly crafting Power of Attorney (POA) documents is often an additional service client ask him to perform. Focused on His Clients George believes an important part of the relationship with a client means he needs to be accessible to them. He understands the need to be efficient with his clients’ money. That, again, is part of his business background. He appreciated the fact that legal fees can be expensive, so he maintains a focus on both efficiency and effectiveness. George is part of a family firm, Lamb & Lamb, PSC. He works with his father and his uncle. The firm was created in the early 1980s. While there is some level of overlap in the practice areas each attorney handles, they also have other areas. For instance, his uncle (Douglas Lamb) handles social security disability claims. His father (Eric Lamb) works on issues involving first-party contract case and insurance-related case. While not every legal matter has a domino effect on everything else, as a practical matter, circumstances often inter-relate. This is how or why one type of case might eventually include other types of claims, as it evolves. George uses the example of a motor vehicle accident occurring while you’re at work. There could be a third-party claim against the other driver and a workers’ comp claim related to the same accident. Using another example, it’s possible that an attorney is representing a client who suddenly passes away. He stresses that a good attorney is both cognizant and nimble, enabling him/her to address the needs as they develop. From a client’s perspective, it’s often more convenient to work with the same attorney or firm if the situation requires representation beyond the core issue. That level of trust and familiarity is already established and the attorney may have insights into the overall situation. This can be financially advantageous for the client. It may be possible to avoid paying for another attorney to get up to speed, by simply continuing to work with the attorney you hired from the outset. How George Approaches the Attorney-Client Relationship At some point, someone is wondering, “Is it time for a lawyer?” Maybe is a course of action they’ve decided to pursue. Maybe a spouse filed for a divorce. It could be a car wreck that happened while that person was on the way to work. George strives to be as accessible and as efficient as possible when it comes to communicating with his clients. He appreciates the time and energy going through a legal matter requires of that client. It’s often a stressful situation. George wants to help them to achieve realistic goals, based on the circumstances presented. Interestingly, George views his role as someone who tells the client what he/she needs...
