Science of Collecting Fees
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Science of Collecting Fees
Ed Poll – LawBiz Joshua Lenon – Clio
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Agenda
• Billing Needs (5 minutes) • Science of Collecting Fees (40 minutes)
– Reasonable, ethical fees – Documenting billing and oversight – Billing best practices
• Tools to Aid with Fees (5 minutes) • Questions (10 minutes)
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Instructors
Joshua Lenon • Lawyer, admitted in
New York • Lawyer-in-Residence
for Clio
Ed Poll • Founder of LawBiz • Author of The Business
of Law
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BILLING NEEDS
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Solo attorneys spend 40% of time on non-billable tasks.
Tips to Improve Law Firm Billing Productivity – NALS 09/16/2013
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Firms 11-20 spend 8% of time on unbillable tasks.
Tips to Improve Law Firm Billing Productivity – NALS 09/16/2013
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Unbillable Tasks
• Client development • Licensing and subject matter
maintenance • Team development • Business maintenance • Billing
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$21-30k lost per person per year spent doing time/billing.
Billable Hours by Bruce MacEwen & Janet Stanton of Adam Smith, Esq.
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Productive firms develop procedures to fast track non-
billable work.
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SCIENCE OF COLLECTING FEES
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Collecting Your Fee: Getting Paid from Intake to Invoice
© 2014
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Law is Both a Business and a Profession “Law is not a
profession at all, but rather a business service station and repair shop.”
– Adlai E. Stevenson, Senator
12
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Law is Both Profession & Business
“Law is subject to the same laws of economics as any other business.
Having a great product is not enough.”
Tower Snow, Chairman (2001) Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison
San Francisco corporate law firm
13
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14
Getting the work
Doing the work
Collecting your billings
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Overview
15 Copyright ©Karr Associates Inc., 2011
Collecting your fee – from the start
Dealing with slow payers
When non-payment becomes serious • Withdrawal • Alternatives to secure payment • Suit or arbitration
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Collection Begins at Intake
• Understand what client wants – Seek that result for that client – Client expectations
• Want vs. Need – Want this client/matter
• “Competent” to handle the matter
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Written Fee Agreements
• Explain fee arrangement • Written engagement letter
– Transaction vs. Contingent • Consequences
– Two way street • Credit check
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Fees
• “Reasonable” under Rule 1.5 – Excessive (ABA) – Unconscionable (CA)
• Types of fees – Time-based (usually hourly) fees – Fixed – Contingent – Value – Mixture of above
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Retainers
• True retainers • Advance deposits
– Evergreen – Withdrawal
• After billing statement • With notice per engagement agreement
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Budgets
• Estimate future costs and expenses
• Make client part of the team • Manage client expectations • Memorialize course of action client
approves
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Billing Statements
Include: • Matter • Person who performed work • Time spent (if relevant) • Amount charged • When payment is expected • What will happen if payment is not
timely received
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• Can the client understand the bill? 1
• Value provided? 2
• Does the bill make the services sound meaningful and reasonably priced?
3
• (If billing cycles are relevant) Has the firm sent the bill when client is likely able to pay?
4
Bills Influence Collections
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Who Handles Collections?
• Lawyer involvement
• Staff involvement – Obligation to supervise
• Need for joint plan and staying informed
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Bills Not Paid Timely
Follow up – “Dial & Smile” – Did client receive the bill? – Did client understand what was done
and what was billed? – Does client have any questions or
problems with the bill or the services?
– When will the client pay?
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Interest on Delinquent Accounts
Generally permitted but • Must disclose possibility of interest
fees at outset of representation • Some jurisdictions require written
client consent to arrangement
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Stopping Work
• See engagement/fee agreement • Impact on client and matter • Impact on lawyer-client
relationship
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Withdrawal When Non-Payment
27
Permitted under Rule
1.16
Will not cause
materially adverse effect on interest of
clients
Time sensitivity
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Alternatives to Non-Payment
• Payment plans • Revisit when client’s finances
improve
Avoid an arrangement that the client will almost certainly fail to satisfy
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Lien on Client Files and Property
Check your jurisdiction • Can’t withhold client’s file for
nonpayment • Can withhold much or part of a file to
obtain payment • Can withhold only work product • Can withhold only opinion work product • May withhold file even if client
prejudiced
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Reporting Client to Credit Agency
• NYSBA Opinion 684 (1996) states that reporting is not permitted because the disclosure is not reasonably necessary to collect the fee
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Promissory Note to Secure Payment
Comply with Rule 1.8(a) • Fair and reasonable • Terms fully disclosed to client in
(understandable) writing • Advised in writing to seek independent
counsel • Signed agreement documenting
informed consent
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Filing Lawsuit
• Check jurisdiction regulations • Review E & O insurance policy
– Carrier may want/require notice • Use outside counsel
– Objectivity – Better protection for confidences
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Risk of Cross-Complaints for Legal
Malpractice • Only 10-15% of suits for fees
result in cross-complaint • First loss is best loss • Need to make sure case is one
worth sending to suit • Peer review of file before suit is
filed
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Process Summary
• First meeting • Engagement letter • Budget • Internal collection procedure • Peer review of file • Arbitration if required • Write-off • Lawsuit
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Resources
• Collecting Your Fee: Getting Paid from Intake to Invoice (ABA)
• Attorney & Law Firm Guide to The Business of Law® (ABA, March 2014)
• www.lawbiz.com • www.lawbizblog.com • www.lawbiztips.com • www.lawbizregistry.com
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Free Weekly Newsletter: www.lawbiztips.com
LawBiz Management Co. (800) 837-5880
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T O O L S T O A I D W I T H F E E S
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Practice Management
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Practice Management
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Practice Management
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ZenCash & InvoiceSherpa