fdhall,
Thanks for your response, above (and quoted in part, below). It does give me a chance to expand on my comments.
I will touch on this more, below, but, my reply was not directed to you directly (though, maybe, casting a wide-net, there may be parts that do relate to you). Really, part of the "problem" is several fold and a result of issues, not necessarily based on individuals, but, instead, in the aggregate. That is, I have few real issues with individuals ever....but, I have noticed, when it "snowballs" via many folks not doing what they can do (be it searching on this site or asking clear and direct questions here) and then contacting me via my professional email with no intention of seeking services, it does create a problem for me. I don't chide too much....as you alluded to "I am a victim of my own success." But, at times, it gets frustrating when folks "don't help themselves" or do the work (like searching the forums, reading posts and, more importantly the regulations) and reach out to me at my work email or phone with no intention of seeking my services. I could be more mercenary, I could just require payment before I communicate with anyone. But, that is not my desire nor is it my practice. I just have some frustration with some folks who I have spent time with and have helped and have apparently had no interest in actually pursuing representation and in some cases come back later with bad results and then want additional help with again little to no interest in representation. Again, much of this is on me. I could modulate/be more sharp with helping folks. I am unlikely to change what I do. I just was not really pleased with the statement that I am hard to reach. That may be true to some extent, but, for whatever reason, was bothersome to me. I can't be all places at all times and it just did rub me a little bit as wrong. Again, when I don't have the full info, can't figure out what someone wants or have no way to respond without digging or work by me, it is tough. But, hey, at the end of the day, I hew to my trying to help folks, I am not some young Soldier/Marine/Sailor/Airman who is deployed (or sitting there or back CONUS injured and wondering what the hell is going on). Like I wrote, my comments were not towards you....it was more a recent uptick in folks somewhat taking advantage of my time and or contacting me without being clear about their issues or the facts of their case and how "in the aggregate," this has developed into a bit of a problem for me.
Thanks!!
I appreciate your question and it makes sense. Will not delve into or comment here with what is better and more appropriately addressed directly. (Again, while this does relate to your comments/questions, this is the "problem" or issue that I was talking about...this site is not the place for me to address professional issues; the corollary is that my professional contact information is not the place to address general questions for folks who are not seeking my services. Not sure if this makes sense to folks, but, the purposes and goals of this site are not the same as my professional work; sometimes, there is overlap- that is, I want to help as many people as possible. But, the points, issues, and obligations are different. When someone from this site contacts me to ask a question without any intention of seeking services, it is "bad form;" when it happens once in a while, it is not a problem....when it happens often, it takes additional time and takes advantage of me. At the same time, I do understand that many folks do not and cannot discern whether they have problems or issues that are amenable to challenging). My responses on this point is in part driven by a high volume of folks just asking me questions outside of this site with issues that could be readily answered here but with no intention of seriously seeking legal help. Again, here and there, this is not a problem. When it happens in a "flood" of inquiries, it clogs up my professional life and makes things hard for me.
Right, I think I am tracking with your point. If I have a correct understanding, if the general questions asked here are not addressed or answered AND you need/want legal services, then this site is not the place to resolve your issued. Not sure that this applies to your circumstances. Again, this series of posts from me deal with what I see in the aggregate. All I am pointing out here is that if you post a question here on the forums and don't get a response or a response that answers your question, the answer is not to contact me directly via my professional/work email to ask the same question without an intention to seek my services at all. I get that way too often- "Hey, I asked a question on the PEB Forum, I don't understand [X, Y or Z] and was hoping you could answer." While I understand the asking of the question in these instances, understand that when this happens a lot, it takes my time- time away from clients' cases, time away from family, time when I could be posting here on the forum with pertinent updates and input that would help a lot of folks. Making it worse, is when the person does not have any intention or interest in legal services (or, a thousand times worse, when they comment that "their attorney" said something different- so, in that case, all I get is that they have opted for another attorney, in many cases have paid them, and have asked me to opine on something for free and have no intention of compensating me for my opinion....that really makes me salty). My main point in this whole post- (and, I fear, that my point will be missed anyway, because most everyone does not have the information or experience to even really understand when they need help or when they are barking up the wrong tree)- was that folks should and can help themselves by searching the forums and asking their own questions; that they should be clear about what they are seeking or desire for an outcome; that when they don't get an answer to their questions, the next step is not to contact me directly at my work email and, finally, don't contact me directly at my work email to ask a question when there is no intention to seek my services. I don't want folks from here to just seek my services. I want to help folks as much as possible. Just understand that when I get a volume of inquiries (especially, from folks basically trying to "string me along") it hurts me and is not what I signed up for here.
Again, while some of the issues may relate to you, my point in my earlier post is that there is not a seamless or direct overlap between asking a question here on the forums, seeking my services or anyone thinking that what I can answer here in the way of general thoughts or input and what I may be able to provide with a full understanding of the case and a desire to have me represent anyone. Way too often recently, folks have contacted me directly, taken hours of my time, and have thanked me for the input and have left it at that. Again, once in a while, this is no problem and I am glad to help folks. When it becomes a multiple of times, it starts to grate. Especially when I have spent many thousands of hours here helping folks. There has to be a balance.
Well, in part, I think this is fine and good....it means that I have succeeded, at least with you, in not having this site be a place for me to seek or get clients.
Not a dig on you or anyone else. Reading my profile and
http://www.pebforum.com/site/members/jason-perry.1/ would illuminate the differences. But, I do understand that this may take some looking around to find.
Understood and understandable. My point was that I get way too many inquiries on my professional site from folks who have questions and can ask them (clearly) but don't, post here some questions, and then either send me a private message and/or contact me at my work email without an intention of ever retaining my services. This is the problem in the aggregate. First, many answers to questions can be found by either searching this site, reading the regulations and/or asking the question on the forum. I have no problem/issue with those directly seeking my services skipping all of that, figuring they need help and want me to help directly answer their questions in a professional capacity. What is a problem is folks who don't take advantage of what is offered here on the forums and just asking me a question that can be resolved with a modicum of effort and not being clear about their purpose. It really is not the individual instances of this that are a problem....what happens is that a volume of this repeating itself over a week/month, whatever (and I do get a volume of this) is that I end up getting somewhat shafted based on my desire and efforts in helping people. Hope this makes sense (both to you, but, really, to my audience here....all folks who read this thread and ask questions).
Yes, and thanks (this is not meant to sound snarky or sarcastic), but, yeah, I appreciate the congratulations/accolades, but, also understand this is not a solution to the issue of folks not helping themselves and/or reaching out to me for help in the professional context with no intention of securing my services.
At the end of the day, it is a balance that I have to manage. And, again, I am not trying to overstate my "pain," as I am not in the place of those of our brethren who have been injured and are getting the shaft.
Just pointing out that there is a bit of a disconnect between what I do, what I earn (and what really rubs me wrong is when other less qualified attorneys charge a lot more than I do, do less or worse work and get a bad result for folks....I could do a lot more to really increase my income. At the end of the day, we do what we feel is right. Just makes me salty when I see less talented folks taking advantage and no one knows, sees, or appreciates this fact).
Your welcome (and so is everyone else who I help directly or indirectly). Despite my previous explanations (bitching), I am greatly honored and blessed by being able to help folks. So, that is a wonderful thing. I am proud to it (so that is a bit of selfishness, right there, maybe ego driven) and I am only trying to fix things, pass along what helps and trying to help the best folks I have ever known- fellow Servicemembers and Veterans.
Clear as mud?
