I waa taught that when you call someone first of all you listen to what the person who answers the phone says
we answer the phone "law office (insert your name here ) speaking How may I help you?
You can answer the phone by saying Mary speaking and the idiot on the other side of the phone says " MARY!"
"Yes how may I help you?"
"MARY!!"
"This is she, how may I help you?"
"She, I want to speak to Mary"
'This isMary ,how may I help you?"(desperately wanting to say - you bloody moron)
"Did you get my fax?"
(desperately want to say how the hell should I know? WHO are you?!!"
" Who is calling please?"
"I just want to know if you got my fax "
etc etc etc
what happened to "good morning/afternoon/eveing this is Joe Blow, may I please speak to whatsit?"