how to drive oppossing attorney crazy and run up their billings

Do lawyers bill clients in unacceptably large chunks of time?

Jun 01, 2013 · There are many things that the client can do to help in his or her case. Be polite, always show up to appointments on time, pay the agreed fees when due, etc. However, many clients are unaware of the pet peeves that defense attorneys have when it comes to representing a person in a criminal or DUI case. Here are the top 5 ways to drive counsel ...

What is law firm overbilling?

Oct 16, 2013 · Let the difficult lawyer waste their time (and their client’s money) on hostile and unproductive acts. Remember, at the end of the day, there simply is no substitute for preparation. 2) Stay Cool – Remember, the difficult lawyer is trying to rattle your cage, throw you off-track, etc. The worst thing you can do is engage in the same tactics as the opposing side and to lose your …

Can a lawyer Bill two clients at the same time?

Billings are one of the most important avenues of client communication; inaccurate, vague and/or delayed billings can cost more than yesterday's time. It can result in lost trust and future business. At the same time, it has been estimated that attorneys fail to bill from 10% to 25% of their legitimate billable hours due to bad recording habits ...

Is time-based billing bad for attorneys?

Jul 13, 2015 · A Positive Firm Culture Motivates Attorneys to Improve Their Billings and Collections By Joel A. Rose Money cannot be viewed as an end in itself.

What do you do when opposing counsel won't respond?

In a nutshell, if opposing counsel isn't responding:Document your repeated efforts at contact, including your statement of the consequence of continued nonresponse.Wait a reasonable amount of time.To be safe, get a court order authorizing direct contact.More items...•Jun 22, 2018

How do you deal with rude opposing counsel?

8 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Opposing CounselPoint out Common Ground. ... Don't be Afraid to Ask Why. ... Separate the Person from the Problem. ... Focus on your Interests. ... Don't Fall for your Assumptions. ... Take a Calculated Approach. ... Control the Conversation by Reframing. ... Pick up the Phone.

What is the most common complaint against lawyers?

Perhaps the most common kinds of complaints against lawyers involve delay or neglect. This doesn't mean that occasionally you've had to wait for a phone call to be returned. It means there has been a pattern of the lawyer's failing to respond or to take action over a period of months.

How do you deal with a difficult lawyer?

Educate, educate, educate: The key to dealing with most difficult clients is educating them. Take the time to talk to them and explain the legal process, even if you have to do it repeatedly. Report regularly as this will help the client understand their file and alleviate concerns that nothing is being done.Oct 10, 2016

What should you not say to a lawyer?

9 Taboo Sayings You Should Never Tell Your LawyerI forgot I had an appointment. ... I didn't bring the documents related to my case. ... I have already done some of the work for you. ... My case will be easy money for you. ... I have already spoken with 5 other lawyers. ... Other lawyers don't have my best interests at heart.More items...•Mar 17, 2021

How do you address opposing counsel?

#2: Don't put the opposing counsel's email address in the “To:” line until you know your email is ready to send. This is a simple tip, but it is one that can save you from costly mistakes. Never fill out the “To:” line of your email until you are absolutely, positively, ready to send it.May 11, 2021

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

What do you do when your lawyer lies to you?

If you think your attorney has acted unethically You can complete a complaint form online or download a PDF complaint form from the State Bar's website. You may also call the State Bar at 800-843-9053 (in California) or 213-765-1200 (outside California) to discuss the complaint-filing process.

How do you know if a lawyer is scamming you?

Some common signs of a scam include:Payment needs to happen quickly. You can't ask questions or get clarification.It's an emergency. Someone may threaten you or your loved ones.Requests for money usually happen over text, email or phone.The person contacting you is not someone you recognize.Mar 29, 2021

Do opposing lawyers talk to each other?

(A) While representing a client, a member shall not communicate directly or indirectly about the subject of the representation with a party the member knows to be represented by another lawyer in the matter, unless the member has the consent of the other lawyer.

Can I sue a lawyer for lying?

The rules of legal ethics in most states require attorneys to be honest and to be able to do their job at a certain level of competence. If you feel that your legal representative has lied or misled you, or is performing their duties at a level below that of a competent attorney, you may want to file a lawsuit.May 8, 2020

Is it normal to not hear from your lawyer?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.Oct 25, 2018

How to automate a lawyer?

Not all tasks performed by attorneys daily result in billable time. Automating as many tasks as possible can reduce unnecessary time spent performing actions that don’t result in financial growth. Some ways in which lawyers and law firms may consider automation are: 1 Setting up voicemails and emails that provide basic information and FAQs for clients through auto-responses and recordings. 2 Utilizing scheduling software to simplify appointment scheduling and automate reminders. 3 Using document creation and editing software and programs to lessen the time spent on the process. 4 Creation and utilization of macro templates for letters and emails. Macros are pre-written content and responses that can be used in common situations and that require minimal editing.

Why is time spent in a law firm not billable?

Just because time spent conducting certain tasks within a law firm isn’t billable, doesn’t mean tracking these tasks doesn’t hold value. Each attorney, manager, and employee should regularly track time spent to complete goals and tasks; By doing this, it ensures that time can be spent proficiently.

What is block billing?

Block billing is a common practice used by lawyers - and it doesn’t benefit the clients or billing lawyers. When this method of billing is enacted, it essentially places a large group of different tasks under one line of billing. Many lawyers see this as a quicker way to bill clients, but it actually sets them up to over or under bill; Clients also often see this billing practice as misleading, and courts often won’t allow it. A more effective method of billing time is itemizing each course of action taken; By doing this, attorneys can ensure each hour is billed correctly, and clients will appreciate the effort of transparency,

How much does time tracking cost?

However, if it’s determined that a paid version is needed, costs don’t typically exceed $5-$10 per user; This cost is usually determined to be reasonable, given that it can effectively assist law firms in increasing profits.

Who said "take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves"?

Lord Chesterfield once famously said, “Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves.” There isn’t a more accurate statement that applies to the importance of billing for every aspect of time spent working on cases within the legal field.

What is time tracking software?

As technology continues to advance, those in the legal industry must take advantage of the various tools that can help streamline, grow, and manage law firms; Time tracking software is one of these tools. Here’s how time tracking software can help maximize billing time for both lawyers and law firms:

Who said you can do two things at once but you can't focus on two things at once?

Gary Keller once said, “You can do two things at once, but you can’t focus effectively on two things at once.” This is a quote to remember when discussing the importance of delegation and non-micromanagement.

What percentage of lawyers are block billed?

Approximately 90 percent of law firm clients who are billed on an hourly basis are “block billed.” Block billing is an accounting technique whereby lawyers aggregate multiple smaller tasks into a single "block" entry, for which a single time value is assigned. In theory, the total time charged equals the sum of the duration of each discrete task. For example, after spending five minutes on a phone call, 35 minutes revising a junior associate’s draft motion and three minutes dashing off a brief e-mail to the client, the attorney should bill the client for seven-tenths of an hour. Unfortunately, in far too many cases, the final block-billed entry for these tasks will end up looking something like this:

What is overbilling law?

Law firm overbilling - whether described as the euphemistic "bill padding" or simply "billing fraud" - is a serious problem that is seldom discussed and even less frequently addressed. But rare is the legal bill that does not include at least some "padding." In fact, according to the California State Bar, most bills are inflated at least 10-30 percent. This article describes three common ways legal bills are inflated and provides tips to help clients identify problematic billing practices.

What happens when the economy slows down?

When the economy slows down and billable hours are at a premium, work tends to be retained and billed by more expensive senior attorneys. This results in partners doing associate work, associates doing paralegal work, and paralegals doing secretarial work.