Rainmaking: Do You Habla Espanol?

Today I fielded a call from a prospective client that was referred to me by another attorney.  I was warned ahead of time that the prospect spoke Spanish.  To my relief, I later discovered during the early part of  the phone call that the prospect also spoke English.  Was that a momentary air of apprehension, you're liking asking yourself.  Darn right it was.  Don't get me wrong, I can and do speak Spanish.  However, it's not my first language and I don't consider myself to be a fluent speaker.  While I've conducted a decent number of client interviews solely in Spanish, I often found myself constantly worrying afterward that something got lost in translation.  Fortunately, that never turned out to be the case.  

As a Hispanic attorney, this has been an on-going concern for me for quite some time.  Prospective clients, both bilingual and Spanish-speaking only, tend to expect that their attorney can communicate in both languages.  Likewise, bilingual attorneys with Spanish speaking clients who need assistance outside of that attorney's area(s) of practice are more likely to refer those clients to other bilingual attorneys.  How, then, does someone break into that market?  I have relied on a few personal rules that have continued to work well for me.  

First, a little self-confidence can go a long way.  When I stop reminding myself that Spanish isn't my native tongue I find that my words and thoughts flow more smoothly.  This, of course, translates into a more productive client interview.

Second, don't get cocky and understand your limitations.  My verb conjugation and pronounciation isn't perfect, but much better than my skill as a fisherman.  So for me, trying to sound as eloquent as a Spanish Tv news anchor or radio show host just isn't going to happen.  But that doesn't mean that I can't hold a conversation and still get my point across.  

Finally, be honest with yourself in order to strike a balance between the two rules.  By taking an honest look at my limitations, as well as my confidence levels, I've found that I'm more effective with bilingual clients than with those that only speak Spanish.  With two languages to fall back on, the consultations run smoothly and few details, if any, are missed.  Equally important is that I feel comfortable and confident during the interview.  Clients are quick to pick up on that and, generally, feel more relaxed as a result.  

So when asked whether I habla espanol, I keep three things in mind.  Be confident.  Be realistic.  Be honest.