August 16, 2006
Time Entries' Naratives Can Create Trust or Distrust
Attorney Harry Styron writes an instructive article in the August 2006 online publication from the ABA Practice Management Section, Law Practice Today, titled The Art of Time Entries.
While you may think it is a pain to record your time and write those entries, they are a running record of your work, including how well you listen and communicate with your client. Those entries can build the confidence and trust of your client or sow the seeds of distrust, bill disputes, or worse. There is one thing that you send to your client that is certain to be studied in detail—your bill. Use it to show professionalism and customer care. This will convey value and develop the kind of trust that earns you more business and referrals.
The article is worth reading. You will not only find instruction on best practices but the reasons that should motivate you to follow them. Here is how he concludes his message:
”Time entries are not just the cash register tape of our profession. The process of entering time, despised in some ways by all of us, can be more constructively viewed as the manner in which we show our respect for the client and ask the client to respect our profession.
The result of mutual respect is client loyalty and job satisfaction. Since time entries are read attentively by most clients, we are foolish not to use them to strengthen our practices. We are insane if we allow time entries to undermine our client relationships.
Associate attorneys rarely receive instruction in the preparation of time entries. Pressure on associates to bill many hours creates in them the pressure to pad. Reviewing, correcting and adjusting associates’ time entries is a tiresome task for the supervising attorney. The associate whose time entries show accomplishment, rather than churning, will please those who must review them.”
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