Family & Juvenile
Law Section “Top 10’s”
Top Ten How To Get Paid
By: Kristine H. Howanski, Esquire
Stacy LeBow Siegel, Esquire
- Only accept rich clients. Then you need no other rules.
Just kidding:
- Have an evergreen retainer.
- Issue detailed invoices on a monthly basis.
- Stay on top of your accounts receivable.
- Spend 1-2 hours per week on collection.
- Do not take a client in the first place who is not in a position to fund the litigation.
- Accept credit cards.
- Record all of your time, even that which you intend to write off, so the client sees the work that was not charged.
- Consider other means of securing payment, i.e., mortgages, security interests, promissory notes if right up front, third-party payors.
- Send self-addressed envelopes with your invoices.
- Bill on the 15th of the month as opposed to the beginning or end.
