I found a new blog thanks to Dennis Kennedy that touches on the issue of unpaid legal bills that I think could send a marketing message. Reid My Blog! has an article that discusses some reasons clients don’t pay (or delay payment) and suggests ways to overcome the problem. Some of the reasons include the fact that lawyers are:
–Not comfortable talking about money
-Often fail to discuss fees and payments up front
-Let bills go unpaid for 90 to 120 days or more
-Don’t request a retainer, resulting in some work being completed before billing or payment
Further, the longer between the time when services were performed and the time of payment, the easier for the client to forget what you did for them and may now think that the fee is too high.
Another aspect, however, is that it might indicate you have a marketing problem. If the client is not paying promptly, there may be some dissatisfaction with both the services and the manner they were provided. It may reflect poor communications with client which could impact your getting future work. Seeking client feedback might have avoided the nonpayment or delay in payment.
