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LESSONS FROM CASE STUDY FOR LEGAL BILLING SOFTWARE:
Gorman & Miller Law Firm’s experience with LeanLaw demonstrates how modernizing legal billing processes can dramatically improve a firm’s financial performance. By addressing key pain points in reporting, timekeeping, and invoicing, the firm achieved significant gains in efficiency and revenue. Let’s explore three strategies that contributed to their success and how you can implement similar changes to boost your firm’s overhead reduction, attorney utilization, and realization rates.
Strategy #1
Streamline reporting to reduce overhead
Gorman & Miller reduced report creation time from 6 hours to just minutes using LeanLaw. To apply this at your firm:
- Identify time-consuming manual reporting processes
- Implement cloud-based software with built-in reporting features
- Ensure your billing software integrates seamlessly with your accounting system
- Train staff on efficient use of reporting tools
Potential impact: Saving 5.5 hours per month on reporting could free up 66 hours annually. At a $150/hour staff rate, this equates to $9,900 in overhead savings per lawyer per year.
Increased Profit: $9,900 per lawyer per year.
Strategy #2
Increase attorney utilization through efficient timekeeping
Gorman & Miller’s attorneys gained 20 extra billable hours per month by streamlining administrative work. To apply this at your firm:
- Replace manual time entry methods (e.g., legal pads) with digital timekeeping tools
- Use software that allows attorneys to manage their own time entries and billing
- Implement mobile timekeeping apps for on-the-go time capture
- Regularly review attorney utilization reports to identify improvement opportunities
Potential impact: An extra 20 billable hours per month at $300/hour equals $6,000 additional revenue per lawyer per month, or $72,000 per lawyer per year.
Increased Profit: $72,000 per lawyer per year.
Strategy #3
Improve realization with accurate invoicing
Gorman & Miller resolved issues with randomly changing invoice balances by switching to LeanLaw. To apply this at your firm:
- Use billing software that maintains data integrity and prevents unauthorized changes
- Implement a system with a continuous two-way sync between billing and accounting
- Regularly reconcile invoices to ensure accuracy
- Provide attorneys with real-time access to client balances and WIP
Potential impact: Improving invoice accuracy could increase realization by 2-3%. For a lawyer billing $300,000 annually, this could mean an additional $6,000-$9,000 per lawyer per year.
Increased Profit: $6,000 – $9,000 per lawyer per year.
LeanLaw automation has freed up about 20 hours each month of lawyers’ time, which allows them to take on new matters and spend more time doing billing instead of admin.”
NATALI HERRADOR, CONTROLLER, GORMAN & MILLER LAW FIRM
Implement Gorman & Miller’s Proven Strategies Today
The Gorman & Miller case study illustrates the transformative power of streamlined legal billing processes. By implementing efficient reporting tools, digital timekeeping systems, and accurate invoicing mechanisms, the firm realized substantial financial benefits. These strategies offer potential annual improvements ranging from $9,900 in overhead savings to $72,000 in additional revenue per year.
As you evaluate your firm’s current processes, consider how adopting similar tech-driven solutions could optimize your financial performance. Remember, even small efficiency gains can translate into significant profitability boosts over time.
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