Having just come from Legal Tech-NY last week, I’m impressed with all of the applications available to help users track their time and expenses. Software programs, iPhone apps, iPad apps, internet gateways, hosted applications… What a wonderful age to be in!
Nevertheless, the fact remains that we hate to take the time to record our time. It’s amazing that so many firms still delegate the task to one or two overworked people. So let’s put this in terms that anyone can understand –
When people record their own time and expenses, an organization can gain as much as one extra billable hour per person per day!
Anyone care to do the math on that?
Here’s another way to look at it: Please answer the following questions –
- How much additional billable time per day do you expect a timekeeper could capture by using an efficient billing solution? _____ minutes
- How many days does your typical timekeeper bill time each year? (Hint: there are, on average, 220 work days per year) _____ days
- How many timekeepers will track time? _____ people
- What is the average billable rate at your firm? _____ per hour
If I say 60 extra minutes times 220 work days per year times 5 people with an average billable rate of $150.00 per hour… Wow, I think I could retire early!
Eastern Legal Systems is proud to support great time tracking and billing applications such as Sage Timeslips, LexisNexis PCLaw and Tabs3/PracticeMaster. Continue your New Year’s resolution to be more productive – and profitable. Call us at 1-877-ELS-0555 for answers to your time billing questions and support.
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.
