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So, as I've said in off topic threads, I have a new job which is what I used to do remotely for my uncle (billing and such) as well as some other new duties.
Now I don't actually work out of the office. I go in a few times a week to pick up checks that have come in, bills, ect. but mainly I work from my home and dialed into the server.
So today, I go into the office to pick up some checks and bills and to talk to one of the associates at the law firm about some of his billing (I wasn't sure which case it was on; turns out it was to be split between two). While I'm there, I hear my uncle's assistant speaking, very frustratedly, to someone on the phone. It sounded as if someone was fighting about billed time, so I caught her eye and asked if I could help. She looked like she needed to get off the phone before she exploded.
So she transfered the call to one of the "guest" offices they have, handed me a copy of the time / billing file, and I had the following conversation.
Me: Ta-Dah!
SC: Sucky Client, who apparently does not understand how billing for legal services work.
Me: Hello, this is Ani, how can I help you?
SC: This bill. It's crazy. I already paid Attorney. Why am I being billed?
Me: Well, yes, you did pay a retainer, but it appears that you have already run through the retainer and that additional payment is needed if work is to continue on the case.
SC: But I already paid him.
Me: You paid a retainer, which your attorney's hourly fee is billed against. There has been a lot of time logged in this case, so the billed time has exceeded the retainer.
SC: But I already paid him.
Me: You paid a retainer. You were informed in the contract which you signed on July 26th that time would be billed hourly against the retainer and that we would provide you a listing of all time billed. You were also informed that when billed time exceeded the retainer, you would need to replenish your retainer account.
SC: But I already paid him.
(at this point, I'm tired of this. How we bill is not out of the ordinary. This is not this guys first offense, it's not his first rodeo, so to speak. He knows how this works.)
Me: Mr. Client, as I have already explained, the $5,000 you gave to Attorney was simply a retainer. Any time Attorney works on your case, talks to you on the phone or meets with you or anyone else regarding this case, that time is logged and billed, at the rate agreed upon, and paid for out of the retainer. Copies and other expenses are also paid for out of the retainer. Now, you have called Attorney at least once a day for the past month and have kept him on the phone at least half an hour. You have scheduled weekly meetings, often running two or three hours or more. You have been charged with multiple first degree felonies. You will not find anyone in this town that is going to accept a single payment of $5,000 to represent you. Now, if you feel that the terms you agreed to are no longer acceptable, you are welcome to attempt to find other representation. But as it stands now, you need to pay the amount due on the bill we sent you and you need to replenish your retainer. Would you like to speak with Attorney's assistant to make arrangements?
SC: (very quietly) But I paid him.
Me: Yes, you've said that. You've been our client before. You know how this works. We are here until 5 today and will be back at 8 am tomorrow. Please call back when you would like to make arrangements.
And then I hung up.
I mean, seriously, this guy is charged with two counts of murder, a count of attempted murder and numerous other things. Does he REALLY think he's going to get representation for $5,000? Come on. That's like 25 hours of work for one of the partners in this firm -- that's not even going to cover one week of the trial!
(And yes, I do actually talk like that. What can I say? I was raised by a lawyer and I work for lawyers and I'm a writer. I'm a bit wordy.)
Now I don't actually work out of the office. I go in a few times a week to pick up checks that have come in, bills, ect. but mainly I work from my home and dialed into the server.
So today, I go into the office to pick up some checks and bills and to talk to one of the associates at the law firm about some of his billing (I wasn't sure which case it was on; turns out it was to be split between two). While I'm there, I hear my uncle's assistant speaking, very frustratedly, to someone on the phone. It sounded as if someone was fighting about billed time, so I caught her eye and asked if I could help. She looked like she needed to get off the phone before she exploded.
So she transfered the call to one of the "guest" offices they have, handed me a copy of the time / billing file, and I had the following conversation.Me: Ta-Dah!
SC: Sucky Client, who apparently does not understand how billing for legal services work.
Me: Hello, this is Ani, how can I help you?
SC: This bill. It's crazy. I already paid Attorney. Why am I being billed?
Me: Well, yes, you did pay a retainer, but it appears that you have already run through the retainer and that additional payment is needed if work is to continue on the case.
SC: But I already paid him.
Me: You paid a retainer, which your attorney's hourly fee is billed against. There has been a lot of time logged in this case, so the billed time has exceeded the retainer.
SC: But I already paid him.
Me: You paid a retainer. You were informed in the contract which you signed on July 26th that time would be billed hourly against the retainer and that we would provide you a listing of all time billed. You were also informed that when billed time exceeded the retainer, you would need to replenish your retainer account.
SC: But I already paid him.
(at this point, I'm tired of this. How we bill is not out of the ordinary. This is not this guys first offense, it's not his first rodeo, so to speak. He knows how this works.)
Me: Mr. Client, as I have already explained, the $5,000 you gave to Attorney was simply a retainer. Any time Attorney works on your case, talks to you on the phone or meets with you or anyone else regarding this case, that time is logged and billed, at the rate agreed upon, and paid for out of the retainer. Copies and other expenses are also paid for out of the retainer. Now, you have called Attorney at least once a day for the past month and have kept him on the phone at least half an hour. You have scheduled weekly meetings, often running two or three hours or more. You have been charged with multiple first degree felonies. You will not find anyone in this town that is going to accept a single payment of $5,000 to represent you. Now, if you feel that the terms you agreed to are no longer acceptable, you are welcome to attempt to find other representation. But as it stands now, you need to pay the amount due on the bill we sent you and you need to replenish your retainer. Would you like to speak with Attorney's assistant to make arrangements?
SC: (very quietly) But I paid him.
Me: Yes, you've said that. You've been our client before. You know how this works. We are here until 5 today and will be back at 8 am tomorrow. Please call back when you would like to make arrangements.
And then I hung up.
I mean, seriously, this guy is charged with two counts of murder, a count of attempted murder and numerous other things. Does he REALLY think he's going to get representation for $5,000? Come on. That's like 25 hours of work for one of the partners in this firm -- that's not even going to cover one week of the trial!
(And yes, I do actually talk like that. What can I say? I was raised by a lawyer and I work for lawyers and I'm a writer. I'm a bit wordy.
)
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