Sydney firm scraps billable hours
11 February 2011
Sydney law firm People Culture & Strategies (for real...) is to abandon billable hours and timesheets.
 
The ridiculously-named firm is the latest in a string of outfits looking to move away from time based billing. It will offer packaged retainers relating to the headcount of its client companies, according to a Lawyers Weekly report. An SME with fewer than 50 bums on seats can expect to pay $900 a month; companies with 50 to 200 employees will pay $2,900; while larger organisations will be forking out $8,900. Oh, and phone calls, stamps, photocopying and faxes are all included. Which is nice.

A nice package yesterday

Managing Partner Joydeep Hor explained that "it's what I call affordable quality and I believe clients in the workplace space* have been crying out for this for years." Hor reckons that his packages - which also come with training, education and seminars - will work out 50% cheaper than charging by the hour.

It's all part of a debate over fees that's been rumbling on interminably. But it does now seem that time based billing is seen as increasingly old school and pressure is being ramped up on firms to think of alternatives. And the latest high profile seer to wade into the fray is Chief Justice Spigelman who announced, in respect of spiralling legal fees: "I have indicated, probably more frequently than many of you wanted to hear, that the legal profession in Australia is in danger of killing the goose."

Foie gras anyone?

*workplace space? Answers on a postcard please.