Thomas Grossman | Palm Springs Business Lawyer

• Warren E. Slaughter Inns of Court Member
  2003 - 2005

Earlier this year I helped two sisters establish their right to a one-half interest in some real property in Yucca Valley. The owner of the other one-half interest had failed to notify my clients that he had inherited his interest in the property, and proceeded to rent out the property and keep all the rent for himself. The real property went into the Estate of the other owner when his mother died. I helped my clients get both their fair interest in their half of the property, and their fair share of the rent taken in by the other owner.

I built a successful law practice by taking in as many cases as I could, and helping people solve their legal problems. I handled real estate matters, Wills, contracts, litigation, corporations and partnerships, and took in a lot of personal injury cases. New business came largely from word of mouth. I then partnered with another attorney, and we had a very successful partnership for many years. We ended up operating a successful mediation and arbitration service in Rancho Mirage, CA for 8 years. I then went into private practice.

Clients should look for the following qualities in an attorney:
1. An attorney who listens to you when you talk to him or her;
2. An attorney who answers your questions, without immediately quoting you a fee without knowing anything about your case;
3. An attorney who will try to refer you to another attorney, or to a Court website, if he or she cannot help you with your legal problem.
Clients should avoid the following attorneys:
4. An attorney who tells you that you have a great case, and just need to pay him (or her) a big retainer fee, without spending enough time to learn what your case is about;
5. An attorney who tells you that he is certified in certain areas of the law, in which he is not certified;
6. An attorney who tells you all about the great cases he has won or settled, instead of discussing your specific problem with you.

Local knowledge of the Court system where an attorney lives is very helpful to an attorney, especially in a small town such as Palm Springs, CA (where I operate my law practice). Having worked with (or against) many of the local attorneys gives me knowledge of what they are like. Since most of the attorneys and Judges where I practice law are members of the Desert Bar Association, we see each other regularly at Bar functions, luncheons and special dinners. This way, I stay in touch with both the other attorneys and the Judges in our District. It is helpful to me and my client when I go before a local Judge who knows me, and knows my reputation. That same Judge will probably know nothing about the out-of-town attorney who shows up on the other side of a case. Judges always try to be fair and neutral, but it feels good to have a Judge say, "Hello Mr. Grossman" when he calls my case.

In a free consultation, I usually limit my time to 15 minutes. This is because an experienced attorney can usually tell within the first few minutes if he can help the client who has called him. Nonetheless, if it is a complicated case, I will spend some extra time on the phone if I think I may be able to help this person in some way. Most people who call an attorney don't know what to tell the attorney. Most callers just start rambling on the phone about what happened to them, without identifying who they are or what they are talking about, as if we can read their mind. We have to slow them down and explain that we just need to know basic information about their case, like "who," "what," "when," and "where." Once we have that information, we know if we can help the person.

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I spend more time than any lawyer I know speaking with potential clients who call me. I also charge less than most lawyers with 40 years of experience, as I don't believe in charging for every minute of time I spend on a case. I believe that it is up to the attorney to know the areas of law that he specializes in, and if he doesn't, he should not charge a client to learn that area of the law. I also don't believe in rounding off phone calls to the nearest quarter hour so I can charge $50 or $75 for a five minute phone call. That, in my mind, is being greedy. And there is already enough greed in the World.

The most rewarding aspect of being a lawyer occurs when I represent a person who has been wronged in some way by another person or entity, and I am able to right the wrong. I do not like to see people taken advantage of, and attorneys are uniquely qualified to handle those types of problems. It may take a lengthy lawsuit to win the case, but the result is usually worth it. Unfortunately, the other side of such a case often insists on fighting the case to the end. This costs everyone a lot of money.

In addition to practicing law, I am a Karaoke singer, Salsa dancer, swimmer and hiker. I love the Desert where I live, and I enjoy hiking in the nearby mountains. I even enjoy Summer when it is very hot outside. I am a nature lover, and I like being around animals, especially my cat. I spend many hours just watching my cat, and I envy how relaxed and happy she is. Looking at her helps me relax after a hard day of work.

I am involved in my community, mainly through my legal contacts. I am a member of the Desert Bar Association and the Riverside County Bar Association, and I go to a lot of local legal functions, luncheons and dinners. I also volunteered as a Docent at the Living Desert several years ago, where I lectured on various animals to groups of people who came by. I have many friends here, and we have lunch regularly. I also enjoy watching movies, especially crime dramas.