October 8, 2025 • 23 mins
What makes Jeff Pollock with Law & Mediation Office of Jeffrey Lawrence Pollock, Esquire a good neighbor?
What if hiring a lawyer felt less like bracing for a battle and more like getting a steady guide through tough decisions? That’s the promise veteran Pittsburgh attorney and mediator Jeff Pollock brings to the table- clarity, collaboration, and client-first care grounded in nearly four decades of practice.
We dig into Jeff’s path from Squirrel Hill to Penn and Pitt Law, and why he built a home-based law and mediation office long before remote work was cool. Jeff unpacks the core of his work- family law, collaborative law, mediation, landlord-tenant matters, wills and powers of attorney- and the mission statement he still hands every client. Expect practical insights on how to choose the right attorney, the red flags that lead to client complaints, and the two habits that fix most issues: communicate fast and involve clients in every decision. He explains why he sometimes earns less to deliver better outcomes, how Avvo reviews and word of mouth drive his practice, and when he refers complex matters to trusted colleagues instead of guessing on your dime.
You’ll also hear a lighter side: Jeff’s long-running role in Off the Record, a beloved one-night musical parody that has raised close to a million dollars for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. It’s a perfect mirror for his legal ethos- bring people together, use humor wisely, and leave your community stronger than you found it. Along the way, Jeff shares contact details, accessibility promises, and a memorable line to steer your search: “Verily, a man may be known by his attorney.”
If you care about practical legal advice, collaborative problem-solving, and choosing counsel who reflects your values, this conversation will give you tools, language, and confidence. Listen, share with a neighbor who needs a steady advocate, and if you enjoyed it, subscribe and leave a review so more Pittsburghers can find the show.
To learn more about Law & Mediation Office of Jeffrey Lawrence Pollock, Esquire go to:
http://www.jeffreypollocklaw.com/
Law & Mediation Office of Jeffrey Lawrence Pollock, Esquire
(412)421-2232
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Lila Carter.
SPEAKER_02 (00:13):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a lawyer ormediator?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
Jeff Pollock, with the Law andMediation Office of Jeffrey
Lawrence Pollock Esquire.
Jeff, how's it going?
SPEAKER_01 (00:34):
Doing real well, Lila.
I had a successful landlordtenant hearing this morning at
the local magisterial districtjudge office.
So I'm in a good mood.
My clients are happy, and uhthis is exciting, and I'm
thrilled to be with you uh atthis point.
SPEAKER_02 (00:49):
Yeah, we're happy to have you here and excited to
learn all about you and yourbusiness.
So please tell us more aboutyour company.
SPEAKER_01 (00:57):
Well, I've been a lawyer since 1987.
Uh, after graduating from theUniversity of Pennsylvania, I
came back to Pittsburgh where Igrew up, went to Pitt Law
School, and because mygrandfather was my hero and he
was a lawyer, uh, he went toPitt Law School, graduated from
there in 1987, got trained as amediator in 1994, and founded
(01:23):
something called collaborativelaw in Western Pennsylvania.
The group is called CLASP, andas a collaborative lawyer, we
try primarily in family lawcases, but in other things to uh
settle divorces and custody anduh other family-related issues.
I particularly enjoy doingthings besides helping people
(01:46):
fight over their kids and end arelationship, but uh that is the
bulk of my practice doing familylaw, divorce, custody support,
adoptions, writing wills, andpowers of attorney.
And uh I've had an EastEnd-based office.
Uh, an East End office uh now isin my home since 1989, and long
(02:11):
before COVID, I was trying tohelp people uh in Pittsburgh
with what are uh verycompetitive rates because having
a home office, I have lessoverhead and I really enjoy
helping people and solvingproblems.
I wish I was as good at solvingmy own issues, but I'm really uh
(02:33):
good at helping other people,and that's uh what helps me get
motivated each day.
SPEAKER_02 (02:39):
Sure.
And how did you get into thisbusiness?
I know you said that you havesome familial ties, but could
you expand on that a little bit?
SPEAKER_01 (02:47):
Absolutely.
Uh I think uh I say thissomewhat jokingly and
facetiously, but it's kind oftrue in my situation that when
you grow up uh in Squirrel Hill,being Jewish, going to private
school, getting good grades,going to an Ivy League college,
your family expects you to be adoctor or a lawyer or
(03:10):
accountant.
So uh, since I'm not great inscience and I didn't uh really
enjoy math, even though I had anexcellent SAT score way back
when, um, because my grandfatherwas someone I really looked up
to, and I enjoy persuadingpeople by words and helping
(03:30):
people uh through the thewritten uh language and by being
in front of judges and juries, Ibecame a lawyer.
I remember specifically in 1980,I believe it was, I was in a uh
musical to raise money for umsome charity, and I was
(03:54):
interviewed by what was thencalled WWSW Radio.
They interviewed two people fromour cast, and they asked me, I
was 18 at the time, what do youwant to be when you grow up,
basically?
And I said, I'd like to be anentertainment lawyer because
I've enjoyed being on stage anddoing theater and acting and
singing and dancing, and I'vewanted to be a lawyer, so uh
(04:18):
finally it came true.
I've been a lawyer andspecifically an entertainment
lawyer uh on many occasions.
This is Pittsburgh and not NewYork or LA, but I've helped uh
many filmmakers and I've helpedpeople that I've been in shows
get divorced or make sure theirwills are done correctly.
(04:39):
So that's uh the chronology.
SPEAKER_02 (04:43):
Very cool.
Yeah, I know a lot of people inentertainment are still talking
about the uh the Jimmy Kimmelsituation going on recently.
Um, are there any myths or maybemisconceptions in your industry
that you'd like to addresstoday?
SPEAKER_01 (04:59):
Wow.
Um I I think that people believethat lawyers are just in it to
make money.
And I I wish that were more truein my case.
I have gotten too focused onhelping people uh and kind of
(05:19):
forgotten to bill uh peoplecorrectly or enough because I
really want to solve theirproblems and help them move on
to the next stage of their life.
Um there's only two times Ithink that lawyers are ever uh
sought out for a good reason.
(05:42):
Adoptions, people are happy whenyou're done, and typically the
judge allows the child orchildren to come up on the bench
with them and bang the gavel,and everybody's smiling at that
point.
Or real estate closing when thesellers are happy they're
getting money, and the buyersare happy because they're
getting a fresh start in a newhome.
(06:03):
Uh, but other than that, mostlaw is really just returning
phone calls on time andresponding to emails uh on a
timely basis and helping peopleaddress whatever's troubling
them.
And uh because I learned earlyuh that the most important thing
(06:27):
for lawyers is to keep theirclients involved with their case
and up to date with what's goingon, uh, I have tried very hard
to empower my clients and keepthem abreast of their situation.
And in fact, I wrote a missionstatement back in the mid-90s,
which uh I have kept uh next tomy desk so that I can remind
(06:50):
myself that my mission is to berespected by my clients as a
professional, doing his best tobe competent, prepared,
organized, conscientious, loyal,affordable, and caring as a
legal advocate or advisor.
And that's important to me thatit's a profession, not just a
(07:10):
business, and it's a career, notjust a job.
So I make sure that my goal isto create satisfied customers by
providing sensitive counselthrough the various stages of
the legal system.
And if we can stay out of thelegal system and I get to
mediate a case, or I get toserve as a collaborative lawyer
and settle everything with bothsides being uh more happy than
(07:35):
not, then that's a success.
And people didn't waste uh timeand money litigating and going
before a judge and waiting to uhbe dependent upon the court's
scheduling.
Uh, all of this is is somethingthat I I wrote 30 years ago and
I still adhere to.
(07:56):
Um the last paragraph also isimportant to my uh view of the
profession.
I try to provide cost-effective,efficient legal services at a
reasonable fee delivered in atimely manner.
I will do my best to involve youin your case and communicate
regularly and without delay.
I cannot warrant a specificoutcome, but I will try
(08:19):
diligently to make my clientssatisfied with my service.
I always seek to empower myclients to be able to act on
their own behalf when possibleto save legal fees and time.
If this office cannot perform toyour reasonable satisfaction,
please inform me promptlybecause I welcome feedback.
I always want to become betterat what I do.
(08:41):
I will use my best efforts toresolve and not inflame issues,
even if it means reducing legalfees uh or whatever is necessary
to make sure that my client issatisfied because I became a
lawyer in order to help people.
And one of the ways that I gaugehow successful I've been is
after every case, I ask myclient to please consider
(09:04):
posting feedback, their thoughtson their experience on social
media.
And I'm particularly proud ofbeing one of the few, if not
only, lawyers that has almost200 reviews on a website called
Avoavo.com.
It's a national rating servicefor lawyers akin to Yelp for
(09:27):
other businesses, and I havelike 188 five-star reviews,
something to that effect.
And uh I I use that to reinforceum what I do and to make sure
that I return calls promptly anddo the best I can.
(09:47):
And if I'm not the right lawyer,I just told someone yesterday
when they called me about acomplex trust issue.
I can I said I can do your willand powers of attorney and
living will, but if it'ssomething more complex, I have a
colleague or two or three that Ican refer you to because I don't
want to do a half-assed job.
(10:08):
I want you to be thrilled withlawyers because uh lawyers
sometimes get a bad profession,and to equate us with used car
salesmen is not fair.
Uh there's always a bad apple inevery bunch, but I really take
it seriously uh to uphold theintegrity and the standards of
(10:28):
our profession.
I've been uh I'm the onlytwo-time chair of the Allegheny
County Bar Association YoungLawyers Division.
Uh I give back through pro bonoefforts all the time.
I volunteer in my community inother ways.
Uh, I don't know if you weregoing to ask this, but uh I want
to make sure not to leave outthat right now, uh as a
(10:52):
frustrated performer who does uhsome acting on the side, uh, I'm
actually in a musical.
It's the 19th year that I'm in,something called Off the Record.
And to make a quick plug forthat, it's the 25th year of this
musical parody that the PostGazette Writers started in the
(11:12):
year 2001.
And this is its silveranniversary, 25th year of one of
the funniest productions I'veever been in.
Every year there's something toskewer, some event to parody,
and this year uh the writershave done a great job in writing
about making fun of Pittsburghand the pirates having 20
(11:35):
consecutive losing years orwhatever, and um various other
things that have perhaps beenripe and rife for uh commentary.
We have Larry Richard from KDKA,who's the MC.
He was the MC in 2001, and he'scoming back for the last year.
We're honoring Ken Rice, who wasthe MC for every other year.
(11:57):
We're honoring David Johnson,who's been the target of a lot
of our uh joking over the years,and uh, I think we've honored
Rob Rogers, who does amazingcartoons uh for the Flyers every
year and donates at an auctionto raise money for the food
bank.
And uh we've raised supposedlyalmost a million dollars over
(12:19):
the 25 years for the GreaterPittsburgh Food Bank, and I'm
honored to be a part of that,sing and dance, and uh that's
why I'm spending my uh free timelately, and my golf game,
tennis, and softball playoffshave had to take a back seat uh
for the last 19 years during themonth of September.
So the production, if I forgotto mention, is October the 16th.
(12:42):
That's a Thursday evening, onenight only, at the Bayam Theater
in downtown Pittsburgh.
Tickets are$30,$50, or$80,depending upon where the seats
are.
And uh there's a uh bunch ofdonating restaurants in the
lobby every year that give yousomething to nosh on before you
(13:04):
go into the show, and thenafterwards, there's a free
dessert reception with a cashbar in the lobby, uh, everything
from a chocolate fountain toother things, and the the
politicians that show up everyyear, the KDKA personalities
that are there every year.
Uh it's really quite ahappening, and uh uh I'm looking
(13:27):
forward to it.
This may be our last year ever,so uh get there before it's it's
too late.
SPEAKER_02 (13:35):
Sounds like quite the event, and I love that the
Pittsburgh Post Gazette isinvolved too.
SPEAKER_01 (13:40):
And uh the Postgazette and the Blocks were
integral in starting this, andGary Rotstein and Chris Rosson
started it, and Sharon Eversonis the producer now.
It's it's it's funny, it'sprofessional.
Uh, to be performing at thebiome theater is an honor for me
every year because it's such aprofessional location.
SPEAKER_02 (14:02):
Very cool.
Who are your target customersand how are you currently
attracting them?
SPEAKER_01 (14:08):
Well, um my target audience for uh helping people
is just about anyone in the citywho has a problem.
The uh landlord tenant case thatI had this morning was referred
through either Google or Avo orword of mouth.
(14:28):
Uh, I don't advertise.
I am a little old school.
My grandfather uh was a successback before you lawyers were
allowed to advertise, so I neverput my picture in the yellow
pages or anything like that.
Uh I just like to get clientsthrough word of mouth and
particularly through Avo, whichI already mentioned.
(14:51):
There are various uh ratingsystems for lawyers, Martindale
Hubble, lawyers.com,lawyersratings.com, but Avo uh
is a big uh part of how I get myclientele to help them with,
again, their divorces, custody,landlord tenant issues, uh
(15:11):
entertainment law, wills, powersof attorney, criminal defense.
Uh, I have been fortunate toteach CLEs or continuing legal
education classes over my 37years of practice in the areas
of family law, criminal defense,and landlord tenant law.
(15:31):
And I typically volunteer toteach the ethical portion of
those seminars because I believethat there are rules for lawyers
that need to be followed whileyou are helping people.
And uh I again I think Imentioned this earlier.
The when I first startedpractice, I went to a seminar
and I was taught that whenlawyers get in trouble or have a
(15:56):
problem with their clients, it'susually for one of two reasons.
They gave us a list of 10, butthe top two were not keeping
your clients informed abouttheir case or not uh having the
client approve what's being doneon their behalf.
So I make sure that the client'sinvolved every step of the way
(16:17):
so that when it's over, theyfeel like they had uh a part of
what happened so that they can'tcomplain that the judge did
something or whatever becausethey uh made a choice and were
involved with me every step ofthe way to help their problem
(16:37):
and set their future the waythey want it to be.
SPEAKER_02 (16:41):
Yeah, and just hearing your mission statement
too, I can tell that you're agentleman of a high moral
standing.
So have you ever thought aboutperhaps maybe doing a podcast to
reach your audience and thesepeople that you could help?
SPEAKER_01 (16:56):
Um I haven't.
Uh I'm so busy with helpingpeople and fortunate to have
enough clients.
Um, some of them are a lot ofthem are through neighborhood
legal services at a reduced rateuh because I'm on the
Neighborhood Legal ServicesBoard and I feel responsible to
(17:18):
help the more indigent membersof our community.
Uh so there's no shortage,unfortunately, of people uh who
can't really afford a$500 anhour lawyer from a downtown
office building.
So that's part of the reason Istarted in in my home uh back in
1989, long before COVID made ittrendy to work out of your home
(17:41):
and not commute.
Uh so I haven't done a podcast,I enjoy podcasts.
I actually did one with a lawyerwho was starting to promote
podcasts about 15 years ago, andit seemed I I mean, I'm enjoying
this with you.
You're a great host, you'reasking all the right questions.
(18:02):
Um, I'll have to consider it,but at the moment I'm I'm really
busy in the the few hours a weekthat I'm not helping clients.
I do like to, as I said, playgolf, play tennis, do some
acting on the side, keep up withthe local uh streaming with my
uh my family, and and um sothank you for suggesting that.
SPEAKER_02 (18:25):
Yeah, so Jeff, please tell our listeners one
thing that they should rememberabout your firm.
SPEAKER_01 (18:36):
Um I'll go I'll go back to my uh mission statement,
I guess.
Everyone who comes into myoffice gets my mission statement
so they can hold me to my ownwords.
And on the flip side, everyonegets a free living will.
Uh I try I believe invalue-added services.
I want people to know that whenthey uh pay me for my time that
(19:00):
they got at least uh what theycame to get.
And at the bottom of my missionstatement, it says, the sharp
employ the sharp.
Verily, a man may be known byhis attorney.
Someone named Douglas Gerald, acentury or two ago, wrote those
words.
And um, my clients have onoccasion said, you know what,
(19:24):
you're right.
My wife, my husband, hiredsomeone that uh is exactly like
them, and that's why they droveme crazy for the last several
years together or whatever.
But you reflect my values andyou do uh remind me of myself in
the way that I would want tohandle this case just the way
(19:47):
you have supported me.
So uh a person may be known bytheir attorney, and I hope that
the people who choose me come tome not because they're looking
for the sharkiest lawyer or thecheapest lawyer.
If someone wants someone withintegrity who is conscientious,
(20:09):
that's who I am, and uh I againI enjoy helping people, it's how
I uh make sure my day wassuccessful.
If I helped someone solve theirproblem and was a support, a
counselor, an advisor, uh, andan advocate, but not someone who
(20:29):
was so adversarial that I madethe situation worse than when
they came to me, then I knowthat I've done my job.
SPEAKER_02 (20:37):
Uh how can our listeners learn more about the
law and mediation office ofJeffrey Lawrence Pollack as far.
SPEAKER_01 (20:50):
Well, um I'm not as um aggressive about getting out
to people.
So you're not gonna see abillboard, you're not gonna see
a hear a radio ad or see a TVcommercial.
So to reach me, uh, my phonenumber, I've had a home and
office number that's been thesame.
I hope people won't call at 2a.m., but I'm accessible to
(21:12):
them.
That's another one of my sellingpoints and the reason I think
I've been successful for 37years.
Uh 412-421-2232 is my home andoffice.
And my website for people tolearn a little more about me is
www.jeffreyj-e-f-f-r-e-ypollock, P-O-L-L-O-C-K-Law.com.
(21:42):
And my email address, um, Ialways joke, I have a couple
email addresses, but the one Ilike to give out because it's a
talking point and it's a this uha way for people to remember me
is my email address is j-lp forJeffrey Lawrence Pollock, L-A-W
for lawyer, one five two oneseven for my zip code at aol.com
(22:08):
because I'm old.
So uh people always get achuckle when I say AOL, and but
they remember it, and I check myemails incessantly so I can get
back to people timely, andthat's uh something I'm very
proud of that I've made apractice of for decades to keep
clients abreast of what's goingon in their case and not let the
(22:32):
sun go down.
24 hours will not pass beforeI'll return an email unless I'm
out of the country for somereason.
SPEAKER_02 (22:40):
Very good.
Well, Jeff, thank you so muchfor your time today, and we
appreciate having you as a gueston the show.
We wish you and the business thebest moving forward.
SPEAKER_01 (22:53):
Well, I wish you success and I really appreciate
your great questions and uh lookforward to meeting you in person
someday.
SPEAKER_02 (23:00):
Thanks so much.
SPEAKER_00 (23:02):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on the
show, go to gnppittsburgh.com.
That's gnppittsburgh.com or call412 561 9956.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Lila Carter.
SPEAKER_02 (00:13):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a lawyer ormediator?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
Jeff Pollock, with the Law andMediation Office of Jeffrey
Lawrence Pollock Esquire.
Jeff, how's it going?
SPEAKER_01 (00:34):
Doing real well, Lila.
I had a successful landlordtenant hearing this morning at
the local magisterial districtjudge office.
So I'm in a good mood.
My clients are happy, and uhthis is exciting, and I'm
thrilled to be with you uh atthis point.
SPEAKER_02 (00:49):
Yeah, we're happy to have you here and excited to
learn all about you and yourbusiness.
So please tell us more aboutyour company.
SPEAKER_01 (00:57):
Well, I've been a lawyer since 1987.
Uh, after graduating from theUniversity of Pennsylvania, I
came back to Pittsburgh where Igrew up, went to Pitt Law
School, and because mygrandfather was my hero and he
was a lawyer, uh, he went toPitt Law School, graduated from
there in 1987, got trained as amediator in 1994, and founded
(01:23):
something called collaborativelaw in Western Pennsylvania.
The group is called CLASP, andas a collaborative lawyer, we
try primarily in family lawcases, but in other things to uh
settle divorces and custody anduh other family-related issues.
I particularly enjoy doingthings besides helping people
(01:46):
fight over their kids and end arelationship, but uh that is the
bulk of my practice doing familylaw, divorce, custody support,
adoptions, writing wills, andpowers of attorney.
And uh I've had an EastEnd-based office.
Uh, an East End office uh now isin my home since 1989, and long
(02:11):
before COVID, I was trying tohelp people uh in Pittsburgh
with what are uh verycompetitive rates because having
a home office, I have lessoverhead and I really enjoy
helping people and solvingproblems.
I wish I was as good at solvingmy own issues, but I'm really uh
(02:33):
good at helping other people,and that's uh what helps me get
motivated each day.
SPEAKER_02 (02:39):
Sure.
And how did you get into thisbusiness?
I know you said that you havesome familial ties, but could
you expand on that a little bit?
SPEAKER_01 (02:47):
Absolutely.
Uh I think uh I say thissomewhat jokingly and
facetiously, but it's kind oftrue in my situation that when
you grow up uh in Squirrel Hill,being Jewish, going to private
school, getting good grades,going to an Ivy League college,
your family expects you to be adoctor or a lawyer or
(03:10):
accountant.
So uh, since I'm not great inscience and I didn't uh really
enjoy math, even though I had anexcellent SAT score way back
when, um, because my grandfatherwas someone I really looked up
to, and I enjoy persuadingpeople by words and helping
(03:30):
people uh through the thewritten uh language and by being
in front of judges and juries, Ibecame a lawyer.
I remember specifically in 1980,I believe it was, I was in a uh
musical to raise money for umsome charity, and I was
(03:54):
interviewed by what was thencalled WWSW Radio.
They interviewed two people fromour cast, and they asked me, I
was 18 at the time, what do youwant to be when you grow up,
basically?
And I said, I'd like to be anentertainment lawyer because
I've enjoyed being on stage anddoing theater and acting and
singing and dancing, and I'vewanted to be a lawyer, so uh
(04:18):
finally it came true.
I've been a lawyer andspecifically an entertainment
lawyer uh on many occasions.
This is Pittsburgh and not NewYork or LA, but I've helped uh
many filmmakers and I've helpedpeople that I've been in shows
get divorced or make sure theirwills are done correctly.
(04:39):
So that's uh the chronology.
SPEAKER_02 (04:43):
Very cool.
Yeah, I know a lot of people inentertainment are still talking
about the uh the Jimmy Kimmelsituation going on recently.
Um, are there any myths or maybemisconceptions in your industry
that you'd like to addresstoday?
SPEAKER_01 (04:59):
Wow.
Um I I think that people believethat lawyers are just in it to
make money.
And I I wish that were more truein my case.
I have gotten too focused onhelping people uh and kind of
(05:19):
forgotten to bill uh peoplecorrectly or enough because I
really want to solve theirproblems and help them move on
to the next stage of their life.
Um there's only two times Ithink that lawyers are ever uh
sought out for a good reason.
(05:42):
Adoptions, people are happy whenyou're done, and typically the
judge allows the child orchildren to come up on the bench
with them and bang the gavel,and everybody's smiling at that
point.
Or real estate closing when thesellers are happy they're
getting money, and the buyersare happy because they're
getting a fresh start in a newhome.
(06:03):
Uh, but other than that, mostlaw is really just returning
phone calls on time andresponding to emails uh on a
timely basis and helping peopleaddress whatever's troubling
them.
And uh because I learned earlyuh that the most important thing
(06:27):
for lawyers is to keep theirclients involved with their case
and up to date with what's goingon, uh, I have tried very hard
to empower my clients and keepthem abreast of their situation.
And in fact, I wrote a missionstatement back in the mid-90s,
which uh I have kept uh next tomy desk so that I can remind
(06:50):
myself that my mission is to berespected by my clients as a
professional, doing his best tobe competent, prepared,
organized, conscientious, loyal,affordable, and caring as a
legal advocate or advisor.
And that's important to me thatit's a profession, not just a
(07:10):
business, and it's a career, notjust a job.
So I make sure that my goal isto create satisfied customers by
providing sensitive counselthrough the various stages of
the legal system.
And if we can stay out of thelegal system and I get to
mediate a case, or I get toserve as a collaborative lawyer
and settle everything with bothsides being uh more happy than
(07:35):
not, then that's a success.
And people didn't waste uh timeand money litigating and going
before a judge and waiting to uhbe dependent upon the court's
scheduling.
Uh, all of this is is somethingthat I I wrote 30 years ago and
I still adhere to.
(07:56):
Um the last paragraph also isimportant to my uh view of the
profession.
I try to provide cost-effective,efficient legal services at a
reasonable fee delivered in atimely manner.
I will do my best to involve youin your case and communicate
regularly and without delay.
I cannot warrant a specificoutcome, but I will try
(08:19):
diligently to make my clientssatisfied with my service.
I always seek to empower myclients to be able to act on
their own behalf when possibleto save legal fees and time.
If this office cannot perform toyour reasonable satisfaction,
please inform me promptlybecause I welcome feedback.
I always want to become betterat what I do.
(08:41):
I will use my best efforts toresolve and not inflame issues,
even if it means reducing legalfees uh or whatever is necessary
to make sure that my client issatisfied because I became a
lawyer in order to help people.
And one of the ways that I gaugehow successful I've been is
after every case, I ask myclient to please consider
(09:04):
posting feedback, their thoughtson their experience on social
media.
And I'm particularly proud ofbeing one of the few, if not
only, lawyers that has almost200 reviews on a website called
Avoavo.com.
It's a national rating servicefor lawyers akin to Yelp for
(09:27):
other businesses, and I havelike 188 five-star reviews,
something to that effect.
And uh I I use that to reinforceum what I do and to make sure
that I return calls promptly anddo the best I can.
(09:47):
And if I'm not the right lawyer,I just told someone yesterday
when they called me about acomplex trust issue.
I can I said I can do your willand powers of attorney and
living will, but if it'ssomething more complex, I have a
colleague or two or three that Ican refer you to because I don't
want to do a half-assed job.
(10:08):
I want you to be thrilled withlawyers because uh lawyers
sometimes get a bad profession,and to equate us with used car
salesmen is not fair.
Uh there's always a bad apple inevery bunch, but I really take
it seriously uh to uphold theintegrity and the standards of
(10:28):
our profession.
I've been uh I'm the onlytwo-time chair of the Allegheny
County Bar Association YoungLawyers Division.
Uh I give back through pro bonoefforts all the time.
I volunteer in my community inother ways.
Uh, I don't know if you weregoing to ask this, but uh I want
to make sure not to leave outthat right now, uh as a
(10:52):
frustrated performer who does uhsome acting on the side, uh, I'm
actually in a musical.
It's the 19th year that I'm in,something called Off the Record.
And to make a quick plug forthat, it's the 25th year of this
musical parody that the PostGazette Writers started in the
(11:12):
year 2001.
And this is its silveranniversary, 25th year of one of
the funniest productions I'veever been in.
Every year there's something toskewer, some event to parody,
and this year uh the writershave done a great job in writing
about making fun of Pittsburghand the pirates having 20
(11:35):
consecutive losing years orwhatever, and um various other
things that have perhaps beenripe and rife for uh commentary.
We have Larry Richard from KDKA,who's the MC.
He was the MC in 2001, and he'scoming back for the last year.
We're honoring Ken Rice, who wasthe MC for every other year.
(11:57):
We're honoring David Johnson,who's been the target of a lot
of our uh joking over the years,and uh, I think we've honored
Rob Rogers, who does amazingcartoons uh for the Flyers every
year and donates at an auctionto raise money for the food
bank.
And uh we've raised supposedlyalmost a million dollars over
(12:19):
the 25 years for the GreaterPittsburgh Food Bank, and I'm
honored to be a part of that,sing and dance, and uh that's
why I'm spending my uh free timelately, and my golf game,
tennis, and softball playoffshave had to take a back seat uh
for the last 19 years during themonth of September.
So the production, if I forgotto mention, is October the 16th.
(12:42):
That's a Thursday evening, onenight only, at the Bayam Theater
in downtown Pittsburgh.
Tickets are$30,$50, or$80,depending upon where the seats
are.
And uh there's a uh bunch ofdonating restaurants in the
lobby every year that give yousomething to nosh on before you
(13:04):
go into the show, and thenafterwards, there's a free
dessert reception with a cashbar in the lobby, uh, everything
from a chocolate fountain toother things, and the the
politicians that show up everyyear, the KDKA personalities
that are there every year.
Uh it's really quite ahappening, and uh uh I'm looking
(13:27):
forward to it.
This may be our last year ever,so uh get there before it's it's
too late.
SPEAKER_02 (13:35):
Sounds like quite the event, and I love that the
Pittsburgh Post Gazette isinvolved too.
SPEAKER_01 (13:40):
And uh the Postgazette and the Blocks were
integral in starting this, andGary Rotstein and Chris Rosson
started it, and Sharon Eversonis the producer now.
It's it's it's funny, it'sprofessional.
Uh, to be performing at thebiome theater is an honor for me
every year because it's such aprofessional location.
SPEAKER_02 (14:02):
Very cool.
Who are your target customersand how are you currently
attracting them?
SPEAKER_01 (14:08):
Well, um my target audience for uh helping people
is just about anyone in the citywho has a problem.
The uh landlord tenant case thatI had this morning was referred
through either Google or Avo orword of mouth.
(14:28):
Uh, I don't advertise.
I am a little old school.
My grandfather uh was a successback before you lawyers were
allowed to advertise, so I neverput my picture in the yellow
pages or anything like that.
Uh I just like to get clientsthrough word of mouth and
particularly through Avo, whichI already mentioned.
(14:51):
There are various uh ratingsystems for lawyers, Martindale
Hubble, lawyers.com,lawyersratings.com, but Avo uh
is a big uh part of how I get myclientele to help them with,
again, their divorces, custody,landlord tenant issues, uh
(15:11):
entertainment law, wills, powersof attorney, criminal defense.
Uh, I have been fortunate toteach CLEs or continuing legal
education classes over my 37years of practice in the areas
of family law, criminal defense,and landlord tenant law.
(15:31):
And I typically volunteer toteach the ethical portion of
those seminars because I believethat there are rules for lawyers
that need to be followed whileyou are helping people.
And uh I again I think Imentioned this earlier.
The when I first startedpractice, I went to a seminar
and I was taught that whenlawyers get in trouble or have a
(15:56):
problem with their clients, it'susually for one of two reasons.
They gave us a list of 10, butthe top two were not keeping
your clients informed abouttheir case or not uh having the
client approve what's being doneon their behalf.
So I make sure that the client'sinvolved every step of the way
(16:17):
so that when it's over, theyfeel like they had uh a part of
what happened so that they can'tcomplain that the judge did
something or whatever becausethey uh made a choice and were
involved with me every step ofthe way to help their problem
(16:37):
and set their future the waythey want it to be.
SPEAKER_02 (16:41):
Yeah, and just hearing your mission statement
too, I can tell that you're agentleman of a high moral
standing.
So have you ever thought aboutperhaps maybe doing a podcast to
reach your audience and thesepeople that you could help?
SPEAKER_01 (16:56):
Um I haven't.
Uh I'm so busy with helpingpeople and fortunate to have
enough clients.
Um, some of them are a lot ofthem are through neighborhood
legal services at a reduced rateuh because I'm on the
Neighborhood Legal ServicesBoard and I feel responsible to
(17:18):
help the more indigent membersof our community.
Uh so there's no shortage,unfortunately, of people uh who
can't really afford a$500 anhour lawyer from a downtown
office building.
So that's part of the reason Istarted in in my home uh back in
1989, long before COVID made ittrendy to work out of your home
(17:41):
and not commute.
Uh so I haven't done a podcast,I enjoy podcasts.
I actually did one with a lawyerwho was starting to promote
podcasts about 15 years ago, andit seemed I I mean, I'm enjoying
this with you.
You're a great host, you'reasking all the right questions.
(18:02):
Um, I'll have to consider it,but at the moment I'm I'm really
busy in the the few hours a weekthat I'm not helping clients.
I do like to, as I said, playgolf, play tennis, do some
acting on the side, keep up withthe local uh streaming with my
uh my family, and and um sothank you for suggesting that.
SPEAKER_02 (18:25):
Yeah, so Jeff, please tell our listeners one
thing that they should rememberabout your firm.
SPEAKER_01 (18:36):
Um I'll go I'll go back to my uh mission statement,
I guess.
Everyone who comes into myoffice gets my mission statement
so they can hold me to my ownwords.
And on the flip side, everyonegets a free living will.
Uh I try I believe invalue-added services.
I want people to know that whenthey uh pay me for my time that
(19:00):
they got at least uh what theycame to get.
And at the bottom of my missionstatement, it says, the sharp
employ the sharp.
Verily, a man may be known byhis attorney.
Someone named Douglas Gerald, acentury or two ago, wrote those
words.
And um, my clients have onoccasion said, you know what,
(19:24):
you're right.
My wife, my husband, hiredsomeone that uh is exactly like
them, and that's why they droveme crazy for the last several
years together or whatever.
But you reflect my values andyou do uh remind me of myself in
the way that I would want tohandle this case just the way
(19:47):
you have supported me.
So uh a person may be known bytheir attorney, and I hope that
the people who choose me come tome not because they're looking
for the sharkiest lawyer or thecheapest lawyer.
If someone wants someone withintegrity who is conscientious,
(20:09):
that's who I am, and uh I againI enjoy helping people, it's how
I uh make sure my day wassuccessful.
If I helped someone solve theirproblem and was a support, a
counselor, an advisor, uh, andan advocate, but not someone who
(20:29):
was so adversarial that I madethe situation worse than when
they came to me, then I knowthat I've done my job.
SPEAKER_02 (20:37):
Uh how can our listeners learn more about the
law and mediation office ofJeffrey Lawrence Pollack as far.
SPEAKER_01 (20:50):
Well, um I'm not as um aggressive about getting out
to people.
So you're not gonna see abillboard, you're not gonna see
a hear a radio ad or see a TVcommercial.
So to reach me, uh, my phonenumber, I've had a home and
office number that's been thesame.
I hope people won't call at 2a.m., but I'm accessible to
(21:12):
them.
That's another one of my sellingpoints and the reason I think
I've been successful for 37years.
Uh 412-421-2232 is my home andoffice.
And my website for people tolearn a little more about me is
www.jeffreyj-e-f-f-r-e-ypollock, P-O-L-L-O-C-K-Law.com.
(21:42):
And my email address, um, Ialways joke, I have a couple
email addresses, but the one Ilike to give out because it's a
talking point and it's a this uha way for people to remember me
is my email address is j-lp forJeffrey Lawrence Pollock, L-A-W
for lawyer, one five two oneseven for my zip code at aol.com
(22:08):
because I'm old.
So uh people always get achuckle when I say AOL, and but
they remember it, and I check myemails incessantly so I can get
back to people timely, andthat's uh something I'm very
proud of that I've made apractice of for decades to keep
clients abreast of what's goingon in their case and not let the
(22:32):
sun go down.
24 hours will not pass beforeI'll return an email unless I'm
out of the country for somereason.
SPEAKER_02 (22:40):
Very good.
Well, Jeff, thank you so muchfor your time today, and we
appreciate having you as a gueston the show.
We wish you and the business thebest moving forward.
SPEAKER_01 (22:53):
Well, I wish you success and I really appreciate
your great questions and uh lookforward to meeting you in person
someday.
SPEAKER_02 (23:00):
Thanks so much.
SPEAKER_00 (23:02):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on the
show, go to gnppittsburgh.com.
That's gnppittsburgh.com or call412 561 9956.
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