A TALE OF TWO LAWYERS AND DROPPING THE F - BOMB WITH CLIENTS

WHAT COULD IT MEAN?
YOU KNOW, THE F WORD ... F*@#!

AKA - FEES

Simon did not like discussing fees with his clients. He found the whole situation of talking about legal costs a little ...vulgar. ‘Clients should be told a rough idea of the costs at the outset but when the firm charges for my time by the hour, it is an imprecise business ... an inexact science.’

He would also comment... ‘Clients receive a full breakdown of my time with the firm’s invoice so surely they must know all the time spent was reasonably incurred even if it did take me twice as long as I anticipated.‘

Unfortunately for Simon, he did not communicate this fact to his client who had expected to receive a much lower bill consistent with the original estimate. ‘I was very busy and it simply slipped my mind to discuss it with the client’ was his excuse.

The client saw things a little differently and sought a reduction of the bill much to Simon’s chagrin. ‘Well, you win some and you lose some I suppose - I must confess I can leave things a little loose at the edges’ was Simon’s reply when asked to justify his conduct to the senior partner. The senior partner’s response is not reported.

One of Simon’s other practices was to send out his bills in Friday night’s post in the hope that the client will have ‘calmed down’ by Monday or whenever it was that the first class post was delivered.

RING ANY BELLS?

On the other hand, John sought clients’ express agreement as to the estimate of the costs from the outset in a signed letter of engagement, together with an agreed budget which could not be exceeded without the client’s consent and he often worked on fixed fee arrangements. The invoice was prepared by John personally rather than a junior accounts individual who had no knowledge or dealings in the matter.

John’s approach was open, consistent and transparent at all times regarding fees and invoices were emailed to the client with a full narrative and breakdown of the work undertaken. Generally, not on a Friday. No nasty surprises or F - bombs for clients.

WHICH LAWYER WOULD YOU RATHER WORK WITH?

This article contains general advice and comments only and therefore specific legal advice should be taken before reliance is placed upon it in any particular circumstances.