From The Estrin Report:

Aug 20, 2007

No billables for 1st Year Associates - Why Not Paralegals?

The billable hour is now dead for Harrison & Ford's 190-attorney firm, according to law.com's blog, Newswire. The full-article from The National Law Journal, states that Harrison & Ford does not expect first-year associates to bill time.

Wow. This innovative idea should filter on down to brand-new paralegals. Think about it: Paralegal schools cannot teach absolutely everything a paralegal needs to know just as law schools cannot teach new lawyers the practical aspect nor on-the-job expectations. Clients are savvy enough to know that first-year associates train on their dime and frankly, are tired of it. Law firms continuously adjust and write-off new associate and paralegal time in an effort to get these entry-levels trained.

Why not give paralegals entering law firms for the first-time a six-week period where they have no billable expectations? The first six-weeks should be dedicated to enhancing their schooling. Law firms, most likely, will experience less turnover and get a better-prepared, better-trained paralegal. The six-week investment should pay for itself.

I like it. Any thoughts?


Comments

It is an excellent idea. In addition to learning how to do the job, new paralegals -- and newly hired paralegals -- also need to learn an entirely new office system: shared drives, possibly new software, etc. A six-week no-billables period would make everyone involved very happy, I think, because the new paralegal could focus on learning the job and not worrying about billing.

Posted by: Christine M. Parizo, RP

http://estrinlegaled.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/no-billables-fo.html

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