10 minute read
Charles Rho, Rho Law Group, Santa Ana
NO BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
NO BARRIERS TO SUCCESS
by Dan Baldwin
When a person does not speak English, they often do not know what resources are available to them or cannot effectively access the means to get justice when they have been subject to unjust treatment. There is no barrier to communication in my office as I am trilingual, and I am the one they will be communicating with to handle their case. My clients can more accurately convey their wishes and more actively participate in obtaining justice. Since I am speaking the same language as my clients, they have a greater sense of trust for the advice that I give,” says Charles Rho, founder of Rho Law Group.
Rho speaks English, Spanish and Korean. The firm’s practice areas are personal injury and worker’s compensation. His experience living in foreign countries such as South Korea, South America, and Australia has provided him additional insight into how other people speaking other languages and coming from vastly diverse cultures see the world. That experience gives him an edge on how people from cultures are presented in their thinking and beliefs in dealing with often complex legal issues.
Rho says, “I wanted to make a difference in the expression, ‘you get the kind of justice you can pay for.’ I realize that there are many people who take advantage of clients because they do not speak the English language or do not understand it very well. I wanted to offer a fair and honest alternative.”
He was heavily influenced by the experiences of his parents’ struggle as they moved from country to country without the benefit of speaking the particular language. He always had a fascination with justice and the law and as he grew, he wanted to put his skills, knowledge, and experience to serve the legal needs of people challenged not only by a lack of knowledge of the law, but also a lack of understanding the language used to apply that law.
“I believed then and I know now that I can make a difference in the lives of many people seeking justice just by being able to communicate with them,” he says.
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Regardless of the language, clients agree. “I am very proud to say that this law office of Charles Rho Law, have my business for life not only are they effective communicators and help you with paperwork and with the logistics with finding out doctors and scheduling appointments and being on top on your case, I must say it had to be the greatest experience I’ve ever experience with the law office, And the weight over my shoulders about What I have to do next they’re very good and get you what you need and always have your best interest in mind, not only is Charles a really great help at the front desk with Elsa and the girls are always on top of things. I love this office and I highly recommended five out of five in my book, I can honestly say I will be coming back if I ever need of an attorney or someone to give me advice on what to do in a position where I found myself not too long ago, thank you Charles for your time and help and your patience and dedication to get things done the right way and fair, thank you.” –Abraham Yanez
Removing Barriers to Receiving Justice
Rho says, “I started my own firm because I wanted to have more personal contact with my clients and to have the opportunity to communicate with them directly. I wanted to break down the barriers between attorney and client. Also, as a sole practitioner, I have more control over the direction of my services, and I can decide which cases to accept. Every decision that I make is the direct result of my performance, of my skill and knowledge in the legal field.”
He has been in solo practice for four years and currently has six employees. In workers’ compensation he has one hearing representative and one case manager. He has three case managers in personal injury. He also has an accounting assistant.
Rho’s typical client is Latino who does not speak English who seeks legal services because they were injured through the tortious civil conduct of others or through unsafe working conditions in their employment. They want to know their rights and what redress they may receive for their injuries. “I believe that many Latino immigrants and those who do not speak sufficient English nor understand the justice system are taken advantage of by unscrupulous legal providers who do not have their best interest at heart. That’s a barrier to justice and one I am removing brick by brick, case by case, person by person, so to speak,” he says.
Rho Law Group provides personal service in the form of attorney/employee interaction with each client in their native language. They translate all essential documents and assist with explanations, so each client is assured of the legal process at every step of the way. All essential documents are accurately translated. Each client is provided with a written set of instructions as to their proper handling of any communication initiated by an opposing party, and what activities or statements can harm their case. As the case progresses, they check in at prescheduled times by telephone to inform clients of the progress in their matter and to solicit any new developments or answer any questions they may have. Members of the Rho team also explain the next step in the process of handling their case and encourage them to check in with the office.
Rho’s firm office substituted into a case that occurred in Sacramento where an offer was made of $39,000 for settlement. The client was not satisfied with the offer and had not recovered from his injuries. He still had numerous physical complaints. After reviewing the client’s medical records, Rho noticed that additional treatment was recommended for the client due to his injuries. He followed up and assured that he received the necessary treatment and we ended up settling the case for policy limits of $250,000. “Handling this case taught me that it is essential to always communicate with your clients and to listen to what they have to say. Listening to them is key because it will disclose information that will assist you and help in the processing and settlement of their case,” Rho says.
A Little Guy Winning Big for the Little Guy
“I’m not a big guy. I’m a start-up. I used to work with the big guys, but I didn’t see the hands-on work that clients really want and really need. They’re more than just a case; they’re people.
There are a lot of attorneys and firms focusing on the so-called big cases. I want to focus on the little things that can be a big deal with people, especially newcomers to the country,” Rho says.
Non-English-speaking clients want someone who speaks
© christopher TODD studios
their language and once an attorney achieves that, the experience creates a real bond between attorney and client. Clients in that position don’t want to talk to a translator, they want to speak directly to their attorney. Attorney-client bonding is at best extremely challenging when working through a third party.
It’s also helpful to know the culture of those clients. Rho believes effective communication requires more than mastery of language. That’s a real advantage for this firm. Words can be precise, but still misconstrued because of the differences in culture.
“If an attorney knows a second or third language, you negate the need for continuing interpretation which can be discouraging to those who are seeking legal assistance. You are also able to use your language skills to check translation of documents which gives first-hand assistance to clients,” Rho says.
For example, one of his first cases was a slip and fall case in a fast-food restaurant. The client fell inside a restroom without any witnesses present. This case had been rejected by several other attorneys. The client was told it was not a good case to take because of the lack of witnesses. This was a soft tissue case, and after Rho investigated, he found that employees in the restaurant knew there was always water on the floor of the restroom because they allowed a homeless individual to wash up there in the early morning. After he presented the results of his investigation and evidence of his client’s medical treatment, they were able to settle the case for $95,000, which represented a significant sum to the client and enabled her to improve her living situation. “Imagine the unfortunate outcome if her attorney had not been able to speak directly and effectively to a client in that kind of situation,” he says.
The Language of Referrals
Such effective communication brings a lot of referrals. Large firms often lack the time, resources, or inclination to handle small cases. Rho’s legal skills combined with his linguistic skills earn about 30 percent of his business from referrals, including referrals from the large law firms.
“I also want to let the big guys know that personal communication is still important in the practice of law, no matter how big or small the client,” Rho says.
Other attorneys should feel highly confident about referring clients to this office because of his language ability and cultural knowledge, which assures that a non-English-speaking client will be able to communicate directly and effectively. Therefore, any client referred to this office will be able to convey his questions, and wishes, and participate more actively in obtaining justice in the matter before us.
Rho says, “My reputation for honesty and my high work-ethic assures that any client referred to this office will be treated with the utmost respect, their case thoroughly analyzed, their rights explained, and protected, and their cases handled in the same manner I would handle my own case or that of a family member. They can be assured that I have each client’s best interest at heart.”
“I had an excellent experience working with the Rho Law group. Charles the attorney exceeded my expectations, he made sure I received the best value for my case. I appreciate all the help and time that this Law group spent on me.”
“Meeting a client in person, listening to them and even in small cases giving them some attention and getting them some recovery, not just the bigger cases. I wanted to just give them a hand. Even small cases, like rental recovery issues, may only be a case involving only a few hundred dollars, but I want to send a letter and get some recovery. A few hundred dollars recovered means a lot to these people. It gets really personal to me when the little guy suffers because of a big guy. Regardless of their language challenges, I am here to stand at their side.” n
Contact Charles Rho Rho Law Group, P.C. 2107 N. Broadway, Suite 205 Santa Ana, CA 92706 213-357-1000 www.rholawgroup.com
EXPERIENCE
» EDUCATION
• University of California, at Berkeley (B.A. Economics) • Arizona Summit Law School (Juris Doctor)
» ADMISSIONS
• The State Bar of California
» CURRENT REVIEW STATUS (2/15/2022)
• Yelp—5 Stars • Google—5 Stars • Facebook—5 Stars • Avvo—5 Stars
» ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
• Member of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles • Member of Consumer Attorneys of California • Member of California Employment
Lawyers Association • Member of California Applicants’
Attorneys Association • Member of Korean American Bar Association of Los Angeles
» LANGUAGES
• Spanish • Korean • English
