Legally Rambling (10/1/2009). I honestly don't like to sleep. My closest friends and family know that the over-night hours are my sacred time. I guess it's the ability to read, reflect, work on client matters and at times write.
Now, when I think about my lack of sleep, it reminds me of that old joke about the CPA who could not sleep. So, he goes to his doctor to find a remedy and his doctor recommends that he count sheep. To which the CPA replies, "well Doc, I tried that, but every time I mess up, I spend the next three hours searching for the error." Funny and tragic - I am also a CPA.
So the other day, at about 1:30 a.m., I was reading a column by Kyle Western regarding the data on men and their smartphones. As I was reading a statistic jumped off the page - sixty seven (67%) of men take their smart phones to bed! I looked down and there she was. I thought again - in the majority! Yes! But, I also thought that explains alot.
Now the other day, my brother and I were reflecting on the number of client calls received bewteen 12:00 and 6:00 am. I believe that my brother holds the record. Think about that - while other people are sleeping you could be counting billable hours. And, with the smart phone in bed with you -it just makes it that much easier. An associate should never have a problem meeting their billable hour requirement. So does it mean that people are lying in bed thinking about their case and just instinctively reach for the phone to call their lawyer in the middle of the night. I think so.
Why fight it. So taking it to the next level, since its after hours, shouldn't you be able to bill at time and a half - heck plumbers can do it - right! So that would mean that my billable rate should be adjusted to $375.00 an hour for overnight calls. Still cheap as lawyers go! I'm revising my fee agreement in the morning!
I can't wait to start counting billable hours and at $375.00 an hour I don't mind trying to find the error or the interruptions. I'm up anyway.
Ramble on ....!
Now, when I think about my lack of sleep, it reminds me of that old joke about the CPA who could not sleep. So, he goes to his doctor to find a remedy and his doctor recommends that he count sheep. To which the CPA replies, "well Doc, I tried that, but every time I mess up, I spend the next three hours searching for the error." Funny and tragic - I am also a CPA.
So the other day, at about 1:30 a.m., I was reading a column by Kyle Western regarding the data on men and their smartphones. As I was reading a statistic jumped off the page - sixty seven (67%) of men take their smart phones to bed! I looked down and there she was. I thought again - in the majority! Yes! But, I also thought that explains alot.
Now the other day, my brother and I were reflecting on the number of client calls received bewteen 12:00 and 6:00 am. I believe that my brother holds the record. Think about that - while other people are sleeping you could be counting billable hours. And, with the smart phone in bed with you -it just makes it that much easier. An associate should never have a problem meeting their billable hour requirement. So does it mean that people are lying in bed thinking about their case and just instinctively reach for the phone to call their lawyer in the middle of the night. I think so.
Why fight it. So taking it to the next level, since its after hours, shouldn't you be able to bill at time and a half - heck plumbers can do it - right! So that would mean that my billable rate should be adjusted to $375.00 an hour for overnight calls. Still cheap as lawyers go! I'm revising my fee agreement in the morning!
I can't wait to start counting billable hours and at $375.00 an hour I don't mind trying to find the error or the interruptions. I'm up anyway.
Ramble on ....!
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