--- "David S. Shemano" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Michael Perelman writes: > > >> Do lawyers really limit transactions costs. I > thought that they maximized > >> billable hours. > > If we didn't add value, why would we be hired? > > David Shemano
Well, cynically, lots of folks say we write the rules to ensure that we will be hired, that it's a huge device for extracting rent. I mean, for example, why should you need a lawyer for an uncontested divorce, hmm? Just f'instance. Now, at my firm, there's a reasonable amount of pressure to minimize billables on any matter. Of course you're supposed to meet your 2000 p.a., but we are very conscious about not overbilling the client. So much that there is a firm policy to actually bill the hrs you actually work, because lawyers here have a tendency to say, well, that should have only taken me 2 hrs, I worked inefficiently, I'll bill 'em for only 2. They have to tell you not to do that. If you bill 200 on a matter that the billing partner thinks should have taken fifty, there will be a discussion. This isn't to say that the incentive Michael talks about doesn't exist. Btw, David, are you a litigator or a transactional lawyer? jks __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com
