If all of your clients pay their bills before they even walk out of your office, please disregard the rest of this article.

For the rest of you, the Maryland State Bar Association’s newest membership benefit program may be of interest. Concord EFS, the nation’s leading electronic transaction processor, now offers electronic payment processing - including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and PIN-based debit - at discounted prices for MSBA members.

MSBA chose Concord to bring you the best payment processing with the most added-value benefits. Most importantly, Concord offers MSBA members special pricing on all electronic payment processing programs.

Concord supports payment processing solutions for credit, debit, EBT (electronic benefits transfer) and proprietary cards; Internet and recurring payments; loyalty card and payroll programs; and check guarantee and conversion.

Concord processes more than 9 billion payment transactions a year, and its clients include some of the most respected names in the industry, including Wal-Mart, Rite Aid and several gasoline and grocery chains. Incorporated in 1970, the company is now the nation’s largest ATM terminal driver. They also own and operated the MAC network, one of the first ATM networks in the United States. And after merging with STAR in 2001, Concord became the nation’s leader in PIN secured debit processing and EBT processing.

“Concord EFS offers our members one of the most competitive rate structures in the industry,” says MSBA Executive Director Paul V. Carlin. “We chose Concord because of their solid reputation in this industry. I think our members will benefit greatly from this new arrangement. Although credit card payments are not suited for payment of all types of legal services, they can be effective to reduce problems with delayed billings and accounts receivables.”

The company is a three-time Visa Processor Performance award winner and is also endorsed by the National Grocers Association, the California Bankers Association, and Certegy for payment processing.

“This new service can definitely benefit the solo or small firm practitioner,” says Pat Yevics, MSBA Director of Law Office Management. “A credit card payment option for their clients can help them manage potential delinquencies and help with cash flow.”

For more information on MSBA’s partnership with Concord EFS, Inc., as its preferred payment processor, call (800) 235-1794, ext. 15317, and speak with Dan Hudson.

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Publications : Bar Bulletin: May, 2003