Giving timekeepers better tools to record and track time, setting expectations, and managing the billing process and receivables will all contribute to increased revenue for the law firm.

1. Next Generation Practice Management
Minimizing Write-Offs
and Maximizing Profits

2. Law firms cannot escape uncollectible fees and
unrecoverable costs. Fees and disbursements that
are not paid by a client have a direct effect on the
firm’s profitability.

3. In the following slides, we offer five ways to minimize
write-offs.

4. Set client expectations at the outset of a case to minimize lost revenue.
Billing for legal services will vary for different types of law, but clients should be made
aware at the start of the case of what the fee structure will be.
Clients should also be made aware of hourly rates and the estimate of how many hours will
be required for the law firm to complete the work that will be billed by the hour.
Set Expectations Upfront

5. Timekeeping is the single most important component
of revenue for most law firms.
There is a direct correlation between the ease of entering time and the timeliness of
recording billable hours worked.
The recovery of client costs has a direct impact on the profit of a law firm. Any costs
incurred on behalf of client work and not billed to the client will reduce the profitability of
the law firm.
Value Your Time

6. The efficiency of the billing process has a direct effect on collectability.
The time required to prepare the client invoice must be as short as possible.
Clients will resist paying fees presented many months after completion of tasks, so
lawyers should bill clients for services and costs on a periodic and timely schedule.
Timely Invoices Are Key

7. Invoice presentation has a major impact on collections.
Client invoices should be easy to understand, clearly showing what the client owes. If
clients do not understand the bill, they will delay payment or even ignore the invoice
completely.
Many firms have found that the easier it is for clients to pay the invoice, the faster the firm
is paid.
Presentation Matters

8. Firms should pay attention to the billing guidelines the client has instructed
billing processors to use to reduce rejections during bill submission.
Learn the types of fees and costs that will be rejected and create data entry rules and checks
to perform prior to submission.
A process should be followed to resubmit rejected items in a timely fashion. Failure to do so
creates lost revenue for the law firm.
Reduce Rejections During Billing Submissions

9. Charging interest on invoices that are 60 days
overdue can increase the likelihood of a payment
being made, and therefore shorten the payment cycle.

10. Giving timekeepers better tools to record and track
time, setting expectations, and managing the billing
process and receivables will all contribute to
increased revenue for the law firm.

11. The Most Robust Cloud-Based Practice Management Solution
Best-in-class case management, built-in billing and accounting
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Zola Suite is a complete practice management solution that seamlessly connects your
front and back offices, delivering a single source of truth for your practice.
Schedule a demo at zolasuite.com/demo