2 thoughts on “The Ten Commandments (of Billing)”

1. Thou shalt never describe different episodes of work on the same task for the same client with the same wording; thou shalt initiallly review; begin, continue with specific subparts; complete a preliminary version of; analyze; review and revise; finalize; dispatch; and follow up regarding a task.

   Thou shalt state what every communication is regarding;

   Thous shalt charge a flat fee work for which you have good form and efficient staff;

   Thou shalt not commerce work for an out of state client without a large retainer;

   Thou shalt not enter an appearance without a retainer;

   Thou shalt not work for a client with an unpaid prior lawyer no matter how sympatheic the client’s plight;

   Thou shalt not bill a client for social conversations;

   Thou shalt resist the temptation to assert an attorneys’ lien in a client’s file materials;

   Thou shalt insist that corporate officers personally guarantee their company’s invoice;

   Thou shalt always analyze issues rather than having office conferences with other lawyers of the same firm;

   Thou shalt not make the same time entry as another attorney in the same case at the same firm on the same day;

   Thou shalt not bill a client to discuss the client’s bill;

   Thou shalt not bill a client for a parking ticket;

   Thou shalt write down unpaid fees in matters that end with epic fails;

   Thou shalt always bill time and costs to the correct client matter;

   Thou shalt always proof read thy bill before delivering it;

   Thou shalt strenuously avoid advancing costs;

   Thou shalt bill for the entire time spent handling a telephone call, not merely for the moment actually spent on the telephone;

   Thou shalt bill for the time spent in the court house lobby, but not for time spent in the law firm lobby;

   Thou shalt tell a client in advance when an initial consultation is not free;

   Thou shalt not bill a client for one’s own ineptitude with technology;

   Thou shalt carry out one’s threats to withdraw for non-payment as soon as practicable;

   Thou shalt identify by name or title every person with whom one communicates;

   Thou shalt note on one’s bill every telephone conference, e-mail, and in person conversation, even if the time is written off;

   Thou shalt not spell a client’s name incorrectly;

   Thou shalt keep billable hour records even if thoust is charging the client a contingent or flat fee;

   Thou shalt not underestimate thy fees;

   Thou shalt ask for retainers and payment when a client hast not yet run out of money;

   Thou shalt understand the case before accepting a pro bono client;

   Thou shalt not bill for time spent on the beach in a case that is not an admiralty case;

   Thou shalt alway note the parties to a business meal on the receipt and save the receipt;

   Thou shalt not bill a client for office coffee, pens, unadored paper products or pencils;

   Thou shalt raise thy rates rather than padding thine hours;

   Thou shalt file all documentation of a matter’s costs in a single file folder;

   Thou shalt bill a client for time spent preparing for anything;

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2. If only everyone kept to these commandments!

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