I must admit to a fit of envy when I pulled the last Audi publicity out of my mailbox. ‘Clever Repair’ is indeed all what.... Justice should be about. ‘Repair’ is not a common word in law: money, damages, compensation is much more popular. ‘Repair’ is different. Very different.

Ok, so many things can’t be repaired (I’m not talking about cars any more...)  but we all underestimate how much still can. The result ? We even don’t try. If you don’t try, i’t certain you can’t succeed. So, not trying, it’s easy to foretell you cant’t succeed, and you shouldn’t even try...

The second key in this publicity is ‘clever’. On one hand, a bit too obvious, as it appeals to what everyone would like to be. But the way I read it, it has nothing to do with the alumnus of your class (I wasn’t). It’s about finding easy ways to get out of the sh..

There are priorities car company can’t ignore any more, so why would we at FOD Justice ?

First: people should be welcomed. Just say ‘hello’ to your clients. It’s easy, and it brightens your own day. Listen to them, even if they are (very) angry. Be patient, and try to think as you were one of them. Don’t be indifferent: a car (as Justice) is not just a ‘product’, it’s a service.

Second: inform them. Mostly, this is the lawyers’s part. What will the cost ? How big is the risk ? Is it worth going all the way, or where should I quit ? So, if I should quit half way, why not starting somewhere else, to target a softer landing ?

Third: when everything should be over, it often isn’t. Even legally “perfect” judgments are not respected, or simply do not work on the ever changing (Strawberry ;-) fields of daily problems. Then you may start some kind of “service après vente”, yes, even if you were the “victor”: don’t double your revenge, have patience, please. Be magnaminous, it might even serve you own interests on the long term. Because after this, something else could follow, and could be more interesting and positive than you ever thought.

No judge, no lawyer should do less than a good Audi dealer.... (and I have one !)

Wat u vast niet gemist hebt - Ce que vous n’avez certainement pas râté - You didn’t miss this one did you ?

28 09 2010 Le Tribunal Special de Sierra Leone à court d’argent (Esprit de Justice)

A quote a day, keeps the doctor away ;-)

“Lawyers are gate keepers to litigation” (R. Cranston, cited by Jo Stevens, President OVB, in ‘Kiezen tussen recht & rechtvaardigheid’ (F Evers).