Tell Me About Law School

[topbroker]

Originally Posted by crease

A lot of firms actually bill by the tenth of an hour - every six minutes! Articling students are actually given timers so that they can learn to keep track of their billables.

When I was dealing with outside counsel, I got rid of all the firms that billed in quarter-hour increments and kept the ones that billed in tenth-of-an-hour increments. But even with the latter, there can be a catch: a number of tenth-of-an-hour firms require a minimum billing of two-tenths of an hour, or twelve minutes for that two-minute phone call.

 

[samblau]

Originally Posted by topbroker

When I was dealing with outside counsel, I got rid of all the firms that billed in quarter-hour increments and kept the ones that billed in tenth-of-an-hour increments. But even with the latter, there can be a catch: a number of tenth-of-an-hour firms require a minimum billing of two-tenths of an hour, or twelve minutes for that two-minute phone call.

this is true however my firm would never bill a client for a 1-2 min phone call at all...I might make a note that a call was made in the file but if a client saw that bill they would go nuts. Not trying to defend the billable hour practice but I can't imagine loosing a client over this. Besides, we all know that bills are altered from the actual billable hour #. Thats the big deal with the $160k figure....I get paid less because it takes me at least twice as long to do what a veteran attorney could do. I research the hell out of an issue for 10 hours for what the assigning partner could do in 2...of course those 2 partner hours are worth more than my 10at this point. legal economics, a study in futility.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

You should've billed his ass.

It would be too big a pain in the butt for me (requiring a disclosure to my BoD, etc) but do not think it has not crossed my mind to ask for a consultant's contract

 

[topbroker]

New article on "how to kill the law firm billable hour":

http://www.slate.com/id/2180420/

 

[trajan]

It seems to me that the problem is not with law, the fact that is hard, or peers for that matters, but rather with the fact that most people don't like law, and consequently enter a life where they do something only for the money. Of course life will suck, especially since you have a counter to register the number of hours you work. You know, it's not only to charge your clients but also for the employer to make sure you worked that much. This really happens in areas where people generally don't like the work. (I believe in mining they register the times when they go in and come out) What's worse is that lawyers in general are very busy and when they get a little bit of free time, they don't know what to do.

Being a lawyer is sexy because lawyers on TV are presented as powerful men, some of which genuinely care about people/society or are very rich working for the devil. In any case, they have a lot of time partying and being crazy (see Ally McBeal)

I'm sure it's a wonderful job for the few who like it.

--trajan

 

[crease]

Originally Posted by trajan

It seems to me that the problem is not with law, the fact that is hard, or peers for that matters, but rather with the fact that most people don't like law, and consequently enter a life where they do something only for the money.

I agree

 

[Huntsman]

As an engineer, I have to 'charge' each hour, in 15 minute increments, to my various projects. 'Clocking' in and out, as referenced above is common, almost the standard, for jobs that pay hourly.

 

[topbroker]

Originally Posted by trajan

It seems to me that the problem is not with law, the fact that is hard, or peers for that matters, but rather with the fact that most people don't like law, and consequently enter a life where they do something only for the money.

I agree. I think the perennial appeal of law for bright young people has to do with the fact that for those who are good at school and socialized to the structure of school, law represents a way to utilize those propensities to make a potentially large income (unlike utilizing them in the world of academics). Law is very much like school; legal work is the homework assignment that never ends.

You know, it's not only to charge your clients but also for the employer to make sure you worked that much. This really happens in areas where people generally don't like the work.

That is an excellent point. For whatever hopeful thoughts they think about law before they enter it, many lawyers do, in fact, wind up despising the work. I believe that surveys generally show law to have one of the lowest satisfaction levels of any profession, and of course anecdotal tales of unhappy lawyers are legion. So forcing lawyers to keep track of their billables may well be a way of keeping them in their chairs, plugging away.