Practice Management

Litigation: If you bill by the hour, why not bill twice a month?

By Dan Hull

Billing twice a month keeps the client more attuned in real-time to the actual economic demands of the project--and helps the client plan.

When things get fast and intense, invoice the client twice a month--just ask first. Hopefully, ideas included in this blog benefit both the client and firms. One theme is we can move from goofy "adversarial" (see this blog's first post in August 2005) and one-night stand relationships many lawyers seem have with clients to true partnerships with clients--by doing things the right way for clients we all "like".

Here's one idea that's unusual but effective. I got it from my Pittsburgh partner Julie McGuire, who does transactional work, and it really seems to work for intense or "fast-moving" projects.

If a new or existing client has litigation or a transaction which is particularly intense and time-consuming--especially in the initial stages--depart from your fee agreement or usual practice with that client and at least temporarily invoice the client every two weeks.

Full post as published by What About Clients? on August 18, 2009 (boomark / email).