The quote "talk is cheap until you hire a lawyer" is attributed to PT Barnum, the founder of Barnum & Bailey Circus. Although the exact date of the quote is disputed, Barnum may have made the observation around 1856 during a four-year legal battle involving a failed business venture.
Lawyers don't produce a tangible product that a client can live in, use, or hold in their hand. So, Barnum's quote rings true to many consumers of legal services. Lawyers often feed that stereotype by failing to 1) communicate with the client, 2) provide simple, clear, and confident advice, 3) develop and execute a strategic plan, and 4) describe—in concrete terms—how the lawyer's legal services provide value to the client.
It's important that a lawyer provides value to his or her client, and it is equally important that the client appreciates the value received from their lawyer. A lawyer may bill the client for talking; it is part of the job. But, the lawyer should make a concerted effort to show how all of that talking results in concrete and measurable action towards the client's strategic plan for the case.
Christian & Small LLP represents a diverse clientele throughout Alabama, the Southeast, and the nation with clients ranging from individuals and closely-held businesses to Fortune 500 corporations. By matching highly experienced lawyers with specific client needs, Christian & Small develops innovative, effective and efficient solutions for clients. With offices in Birmingham, metro-Jackson, Mississippi, and the Alabama Gulf Coast, Christian & Small focuses on the areas of litigation and business, is a member of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms, and is the only Alabama-based member firm in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Our corporate social responsibility program is focused on education, and diversity is one of Christian & Small's core values.
No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
October 9, 2026
Partner Priscilla K. Williams Obtains Complete Defense Verdict of Insurance Client On May 19, 2020, while on vacation in Gulf Shores, the injured plaintiff was a front seat passenger in her friend’s vehicle that was rear-ended at a stop light. Despite Plaintiff’s testimony that the impact felt severe and she was projected forward, the evidence […]
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Christian & Small is pleased to welcome Tevin D. Wallace as the newest associate in the Firm’s Birmingham office. Tevin’s practice focuses on litigation with an emphasis on construction, insurance, product liability, and transportation. He is a native of Birmingham, Alabama, and his commitment to the practice of law is rooted in both family tradition and personal […]
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Restaurant and Hospitality Client Alert – ID Scanner Data Breach M. Jansen Voss is investigating a possible data breach at IDScan.net that may have affected bar and restaurant clients. IDScan.net provides hardware and software for ID scanning and age verification. Many bars and restaurants nationwide use the service, including those in Alabama. The IDScan.net data […]
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