Billing–it’s one of the most dreaded parts of owning a law firm.
When it comes to billing, we hear the same things from attorneys over and over again. They don’t record time for things they don’t think they should charge a client for. They write off time or give discounts for tasks that they think shouldn’t have taken so long. They delay sending out bills because they fear their client’s response or that the client won’t pay them. They don’t follow up on unpaid bills because they’re worried their client will argue or feel bad that they charged so much when they know their client doesn’t have the money.
This is a no-judgment zone. Both of us, Melanie and Mark, have done all of these things in our businesses. However, we want to help you overcome this dread and avoid that vicious cycle where the bills get larger and larger and you get more and more concerned.
The facts of hourly billing don’t have to be “just the way it is.” Melanie has learned ways to overcome her dread of billing in her law firm. In this episode, she’s sharing great insights that can help you not dread it quite so much either.
Show Highlights:
- Why you need to hold your clients responsible.
- How to value the service you’re providing your clients for all that it’s worth.
- The financial impact this dread of hourly billing can have on your firm and life.
- What to do if you often don’t record time for things you don’t want to charge your clients for.
- What to do when you think something shouldn’t have taken so long.
- Why you should never delay sending out bills.
- Why you always need to follow up on unpaid bills.
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Supporting Resources:
The Power of TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic): 10th Anniversary Edition
ACTION STEPS:
1. Stop writing off and discounting so much of your time and so much of your bills and hold your clients accountable.
2. Remind yourself of your value by listening to and sharing client reviews.
3. Every time that you write off a bill or review a list of unpaid bills, think about the impact that money would have on the firm as a whole and on each team member and family member depending on the firm.