Engagement Letter

Which tasks are properly billable to the client, and which tasks are not? In-house columnist Mark Herrmann, who has been on both the law firm and in-house sides, spots some issues.

Be forewarned: Brian Tannebaum is citing case law here, so if that scares you, stop reading now. There are two things lawyers are doing wrong when it comes to scope of representation, as in, “What is your obligation to this client?” The failure to comprehend this critical concept begins when you are retained, and rears its head again when the representation is over. So let’s talk about the dumbass things you are doing to complicate your life, and how to fix them....