There are times when a client accidentally overpays a bill. Or, the client makes a large retainer payment and there is money left over at the end of a case or matter. This White Paper lists the steps to be taken when this occurs and a firm wishes to return the overpayment to a client.

Please Note: These instructions relate to a retainer overpayment and the excess relates to a General Bank account, NOT an overpayment or remainder of funds in a Trust Bank account.

Step #1: Write a check from the General Bank account.

· Make it payable to the client (or their designated representative).

· In the bottom portion of the check, choose the appropriate Matter

· This will have the effect of reducing the amount of money in the general bank account AND creating an Unbilled Disbursement for that Matter

Step #2: Create and post a final bill for the Client for this Matter

· Because Step #1 created an unbilled disbursement, we need to complete the process by billing it.

· At the very least, the bill should show the Matter has a credit balance, a check was written for that credit balance and the final balance is zero.

· PCLaw will not use the retainer balance until you perform this step.

Step #3: Run the Client Ledger report to confirm the General Retainer Balance does not appear for that matter (because it is zero).

· Access this by going to the Reports menu à Client à Ledger

· By generating and posting a bill, PCLaw reduces the amount of the client’s retainer to zero for that Matter

· It also clears out the client disbursements account

· If fees were involved, a credit (or reduction) in the fees account would be posted

Accurately keeping your accounts is important in PCLaw and many users wait until it is too late to correct mistakes, hoping “they will go away”. We can help! Be sure to call Dana Riel or Andrea Prigot at 1-877-ELS-0555 for assistance in cleaning up accounts, general questions or setting up customized features in PCLaw.

Dana Riel

Dana Riel is President and Founder of Business Solutions, Inc., serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since 1985. Her firm is the authorized training center for the region for Time Matters and PCLaw by PCLaw|Time Matters, PLLC; Timeslips and Sage 50 Accounting by Sage Software; and QuickBooks by Intuit Corporation. She also serves as a consultant for Caret Legal (formerly known as Zola Suite), CosmoLex, Soluno & TimeSolv.  As a trainer, Dana has provided training services to organizations such as the DOD Defense Logistics Agency, Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAG)/Department of the Navy, University of the District of Columbia School of Law, U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as with small‐ to mid‐size law firms in the Baltimore‐Washington D.C. area. In 2009, she participated in the series of day‐long seminars sponsored by the District of Columbia Bar Association Practice Management Section, titled “Basic Training: Learn About Running a Law Office”. Ms. Riel also served as an Adjunct Professor in Georgetown University’s Paralegal Studies Program, having taught the course, “Legal Ethics/Legal Technology” in 2009; and “Legal Technology” for the Spring and Summer Semesters of 2010. She presently serves on the Advisory Board for PCLaw|Time Matters, PLLC.