Posted on 03/14/2006 8:01:09 PM PST by stainlessbanner
If the clients agree after full disclosure, obviously there is no problem. But if I need to be in court for client A, and can do work for client B during that time without adversely impacting my representation of client A, then I will. But I am not going to bill client A for time spent working on B's matter while sitting in the courthouse, otherwise doing nothing.
The point of my post was (i) to rebut the premise suggested by the poster to whom I responded that lawyers unethically double-bill their clients as a matter of course, and (ii) to inform as to the fact that highly paid lawyers work an absurd amount of hours - evidence of which is the fact that I am still at this hour checking periodically on Freep as I work.
I should have been more precise.
p.s.
"Or looking at it a little differently, accepting your premise, which client should get the free legal work?"
The one for whom you are charging a lower hourly rate! :)
" I am a Contractor, I cannot imagine only having 18 hrs per week off, then again I am not a Lawyer that must be able to bill clients while I sleep "
It would be nice if you were sleeping.
How about 6am to 2+am 7 days a week, 18-20 hours a day. Keep a change of clothes in the "locker" at the firm's "gym" for which you would be fired if you ever used (why aren't you billing, you're awake? - but you can shower in the morning after sleeping a couple hours in your office) I did it for several years (I opted to get out in order to actually get to know my 2 year old son). 115 days straight without a day (incl. sundays) off is really great. I sure had fun working
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day the year before last. Sure you make some money, but at the cost of your life.
Came to my senses.
Another REALLY hot job : IT Security : $$ oodles if you have experience and know what you are doing.
I've never made more money in my life! I work for myself, and charge $150/hr.
Then again, I am not a union stooge. I just started my own business.
If you can't make it in America, you are a loser.
"Something is continuing to drive up greatly increased travel, educational and housing costs."
Foreign purchase of American assets, and everyone cashing-out their equity. That's the only thing propping up globalism. America will be a foreign-owned subsidiary soon.
"Or looking at it a little differently, accepting your premise, which client should get the free legal work?"
The one for whom you are charging a lower hourly rate!"
I would have said the one you actually expect to pay you. The deadbeat lawyer comments from some probably occur because lawyers often have deadbeat clients that the lawyer took on when the client was in some dire legal crisis for little or nothing up front and got suckered into representing on a promise to pay that never pans out.
I have always believed that if the chiropractor really works, you wouldn't have to "see him" for 20 years. I've always had issues with these people. I know some people swear by them but they have to go back for the rest of their lives and there just seems to be something wrong with that (at least to me).
I think the reality of most people living better than before has a lot more to do with huge debt than actually doing better. I know many people that right now are about one month's pay away from total ruin, and I don't think people used to live that way - my parents certainly didn't.
Everything looks good on the outside but if you were to examine it closely, you'd find a virtual house of cards.
I always try to contain my laughter at work (when I read a funny post on FR), but this time I couldn't.
Larry, I think you just came up with the funniest Seinfeld reference ever. I'll be thinking of your reply next time I see that episode.
I just hope he doesn't think of slippin' his boss a "Micky."
JERRY: How much are they payin' you?
KRAMER: Oh, no, no, no-no--I don't want any pay. I'm doin' this just for me.
JERRY: Really. So uh, what do you do down there all day?
KRAMER: T.C.B. You know, takin' care o' business. Aa--I gotta go.
JERRY: All right.
KRAMER: I'll see you tonight, huh? Forget my briefcase.
JERRY: W-w-wha' you got in there?
KRAMER: Crackers.
Osteopathic physicians learn many of the same skills that Chiropractors use and most people wouldn't know the difference between them and an Allopathic physician. Adjustments and manipulation are legitimate, but many chiropractors use other stuff that is kind of wierd. The important thing is that they give you some improvement.
For most "actors" it is simply code for "waitress". The few that do make it increase this number dramatically.
This is called double billing and is both illegal and unethical (“It goes without saying that a lawyer who has undertaken to bill on an hourly basis is never justified in charging a client for hours not actually expended.” ABA Formal Opinion 93-379, at p. 7. You can't ethically expend two hours in one hour You are either working on behalf of one client or the other.) There is actually a notorious case about this...a lawyer who would bill in excess of 24hrs a day, on the theory that he was working on other matters while traveling in a plane cross country.
Now days, most large clients use computer billing systems, and regular audits. It is very easy to get caught doing this, and the consequences are unpleasant.
Heck, some of my client's billing systems will not allow me to enter more than 12hrs a day in time without a special waiver.
Thanks for the further explanation. I think we're on the same page.
I graduated top 10 in my class and came out making $40K/yr with $50K in debt, because I chose not to work at a sweat shop that pays the salaries that skews the numbers in the first place.
BTW, in a typical big firm, of an incoming class of 15 associates, 3 may (stick around to) make partner, and of those 3, one may actually be an "equity" partner.
Isn't that the critical distinction?
And yes, I know that it is done...but not nearly to the extent that people think. Like I said, clients have become very viligant in reviewing their bills and conducting audits.
Besides, most firms cap the amount of hours an attorney can bill in one year. At my firm, you can only (LOL) bill 3000 hours in a year (although the real "cap" is about 2500-2800). Anything over that number screams fraud.
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