LAW
OFFICE ECONOMICS,
MANAGEMENT, AND FEES[1]
2006 Update by:
Brenton G. Burry, Esq.
Lisa M. Yurwit
Baltimore, Maryland
Revisions/Supplements by:
Heather J. Crenshaw, Esq.
Robert S. McNeill, J.D.
Original Text by
Laurence S. Graham, Esq.
Greenville, North Carolina
Table of Contents
I. SCOPE OF BOOK ............................................................ 7
II. THE CLIENT ...................................................................... 8
A. Getting and Keeping Clients Satisfied —
Marketing ............. 8
B. Meeting the Client ................................................................ 10
C. Interview Sheet .................................................................... 11
D. Interruptions During the Interview ....................................... 12
E. The Client’s Goal ................................................................. 12
F. No Guarantees .................................................................... 12
G. Discussion of Fee ............................................................... 12
H. Following Up on Initial Client Contact .................................. 13
I. When, How, and Whether to Say “No” ............................... 14
J. Keeping the Client Advised ................................................. 16
III. OFFICE EFFICIENCY .................................................... 18
A. Office Operations — Basic Employment Issues ............... 18
B. Office Operations — Staff .................................................. 19
C. Office Operations — Office Meetings ................................. 20
D. Office Operations — “Things To Do” ................................. 20
E. Office Manual ...................................................................... 21
F. Filing and Indexing ............................................................... 23
1. Organizing the file ........................................................ 23
2. Filing and indexing ....................................................... 24
G. Forms File ........................................................................... 26
1. The “key word” index ................................................... 27
2. Note card index ............................................................ 27
3. The forms .................................................................... 27
H. Informational Intake and Assimilation .................................. 28
I. Systems .............................................................................. 29
J. Selecting the Proper Form .................................................. 30
1. Your own form file ........................................................ 30
2. World’s largest form file ............................................... 31
K. Risk Management — Docket and Date Control ................. 31
1. Tickler cards ................................................................ 32
2. Personal information managers .................................. 32
3. Diary letters .................................................................. 32
4. Calendars .................................................................... 32
5. Law practice management systems ........................... 33
L. Client Informational Copies ................................................. 33
M. Intra-Office Communications .............................................. 34
N. Establishing Priorities ......................................................... 35
IV. DELIVERING A QUALITY PRODUCT ........................ 36
A. Cosmetic Appearance ........................................................ 36
B. The “End Product” .............................................................. 37
C. The Opinion Letter .............................................................. 38
V. ESTABLISHING THE “AFFORDABLE PRICE” ...... 39
A. The “Why” of Timekeeping ................................................. 39
1. Setting a fee ................................................................. 39
2. Establishing an in-house fee schedule for
routine or frequently-performed work .......................... 39
3. Analysis of bill for client ................................................ 39
4. Risk management ....................................................... 39
5. Law firm management ................................................. 40
B. The “How” of Timekeeping .................................................. 40
C. Fee Setting .......................................................................... 41
1. Contingent fee .............................................................. 42
2. Fixed fee ...................................................................... 42
3. The hourly rate ............................................................. 43
D. Bill Rendering and Follow Up .............................................. 44
VI. USE OF TECHNOLOGY ................................................ 48
VII. PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY .......................... 55
A. IOLTA Accounts .................................................................. 56
B. Lobbyists ............................................................................. 57
C. Pro Bono Activities .............................................................. 58
D. Maryland State Bar Association Code of
Civility ................. 58
VIII. PRACTICAL TIPS ........................................................... 58
A. Envelopes ........................................................................... 58
B. Paper Shredders ................................................................. 59
C. Express Mail Service, Facsimile, E-mail,
and E-mail Attachments ..................................................... 60
D. Toll-Free Numbers .............................................................. 61
E. Maryland Manual and Maryland Lawyers’ Manual
............... 61
F. Additional Materials ............................................................. 61
IX. THE LAWYER ................................................................. 61
X. BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................. 63
XI. FORMS ............................................................................. 63
Form
1. Client Interview Sheet ................................................ 64
Form
2. Confirmation of Legal Representation
Letter to Client ........................................................... 65
Form
3. Simple Hourly Rate: Single Rate ............................... 67
Form
4. Hourly Rate–Letter Format: Mixed
Rates .................. 69
Form
5. Discounted Hourly Rate: Mixed Rates ...................... 71
Form
6. Flat Rate .................................................................... 73
Form
7. Contingent-Fee Agreement ....................................... 75
Form
8. Contingent-Fee Contract ........................................... 77
Form
9. Non-Engagement Letter ............................................ 79
Form
10. Declination Letter ....................................................... 80
Form
11. Sample Index Note Card ........................................... 81
Form
12. Sample Daily Time Log ............................................. 82
Form
13. Individual Client’s Time/Ledger Sheet
....................... 83
Form
14. Client’s Expense Ledger ........................................... 84
Form
15. Sample Itemized Billing Statement A ........................ 85
Form
16. Sample Itemized Billing Statement B ........................ 86
Form
17. Sample Itemized Billing Statement C ........................ 87
Form
18. Sample Itemized Billing Statement D ........................ 88
Form
19. Sample Office Memorandum .................................... 89
Form
20. Courthouse Checklist ................................................ 90
Form
21. Opinion Letter ............................................................ 91
XII. APPENDIX ........................................................................ 93
A. Improving Your Practice with Case Management
.............. 93
B. Law Firm Backup Plan Best Practices ............................... 97
C. Personal Digital Assistants for Lawyers —
Eliminating the Information Archipelago ............................ 101
D. Maryland State Bar Association Code of
Civility ............... 106
E. Selected Rules of the Maryland Lawyers’ Rules
of
Professional Conduct ....................................................... 109
F. Selected Provisions of Maryland Rules ............................ 138