professional competency skills webinar series: …...2018/12/05 · professional competency skills...
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Professional Competency Skills Webinar Series:
Billing and Accounting for Small Firms
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2018 WEBINAR
Cindy Melfa
Affinity Consulting Group, LLC
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Professional Competency Skills Webinar Series
Wednesday, September 5, 2018 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Harnessing Technology and Avoiding Multitasking Errors Paul J. Unger, Affinity Consulting Group, LLC
Many lawyers feel the stress of time and the professional and ethical obligation they have to be responsive to the judicial system, their clients and other attorneys. Often adding to that stress is the relentless march of technology and the ongoing need to learn how to use software and hardware to help efficiently manage a legal practice. This one-hour webinar shows you how to make technology work for you rather than the other way around. We’ll discuss technologi-cal tools designed to make a lawyer’s life easier and strategies for learning how to use technol-ogy to assist you in the practice of law. We’ll also discuss the research regarding multitasking and how staying focused on one thing at a time can make lawyers far more efficient and avoid errors.
MCLE #161876. 1 CLE hour.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm End of Year Preparations -- Best Practices for Your Law Firm Cindy Melfa, Affinity Consulting Group, LLC
Key to professional competency and a lawyer’s ethical responsibility to law firm management is the importance of taking care of end-of-year fiscal responsibilities – from monitoring your trust accounts to reviewing your budget and 1099 requirements to writing off aged accounts receivable and looking at your unbilled work in progress. This one-hour webinar offers a num-ber of best practice tips regarding early end-of-year preparation, including: reviewing your stale items on bank reconciliations, examining your unallocated payments and credit balances, look-ing at client costs advanced, and more!
MCLE #161878. 1 CLE hour.
Wednesday, November 7, 2018 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Business Continuity - The New Frontier of Backup, Data Protection and Disaster Avoidance John Federico, Affinity Consulting Group, LLC
Catastrophic data loss can cripple your law firm and lead to malpractice claims, among other unpleasant things. You can’t afford to be without a plan for avoiding this. Learn how risk management, from creating backup rules to establishing responsibilities in your office, is necessary for ensuring professional responsibil-ity in serving your clients. Learn all the steps and technology you need to build a rock-solid system that will keep you up and running or per-mit a quick recovery from worst-case scenarios.
MCLE #161880. 1 CLE hour.
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Billing and Accounting for Small Firms Cindy Melfa, Affinity Consulting Group, LLC
You may not even like to hear the word accounting, but efficient, accurate accounting is essential to the success of your practice and your professional responsibility as a lawyer. In this one-hour webinar we’ll explain your legal-specific accounting responsibilities, and why accounting software is important to your practice. Many lawyers either use software for billing only or use one program for billing and another for the rest of the accounting function, which do not share information. We will also discuss why it’s imperative that you use software for your entire accounting function and how to avoid using two programs when you only need one in order to ensure you bill your clients fairly.
MCLE #161882. 1 CLE hour.
Harnessing Technology and Avoiding
Multitasking ErrorsWed., September 5, 2018
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
End of Year Preparations Best Practices for Your
Law FirmWed., October 3, 2018
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Business Continuity - The New Frontier of
Backup, Data Protection and Disaster AvoidanceWed., November 7, 2018
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Billing and Accounting for Small Firms
Wed., December 5, 201812:00 pm - 1:00 pm
PDF Power HourWed., January 2, 2019
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
www.nebar.com
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FACULTY BIO _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cindy Melfa Affinity Consulting Group, LLC
Cindy A. Melfa is the managing partner of Affinity Consulting Group’s Naples, FL office. Prior to joining Affinity, she was the founder and president of Legal-Tech Solutions, Inc. Cindy is a certified law office software consultant with over 24 years’ experience in law firm accounting, financial workflow and management, practice management, and document management. With an educational background in management and marketing, and prior employment as a law firm real estate closer and firm administrator, she consults with law firms throughout the United States and Caribbean on law office software as well as sophisticated practice management issues. Cindy is a graduate of Florida International University (B.A.), and a certified consultant/trainer. Besides actively consulting on law office productivity and management issues, Cindy has served on the LexisNexis Certified Consultants panel, the PCLaw Product Advisory Board, and Amicus Attorney President’s Club, in addition to conducting webinars for LexisNexis.
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SMART BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR THE LEGAL WORLD.
EXPERIENCED. CREATIVE. CONNECTED.
Efficient Billing and Accounting
for Small Firms
Presented By: Cindy Melfa
Partner, Affinity Consulting Group
Partner, Affinity Consulting Group
Law firm consultancy focused on helping law firms implement technology, finance, marketing and management solutions
Worked in a law firm as an Administrator performing the billing and accounting functions
28 years experience with law firm billing and accounting
Presenter
Law School does not adequately prepare
lawyers for running a business
Best lawyer in the world could be the worst at
business planning, bookkeeping and general
accounting principles
Lawyer ≠ Accountant
Understanding the Basics
Keep you in tune with how your practice is doing
Monitor Cash flow and keep it moving
What types of matters net highest revenue
Keep vendors paid
Serve clients more professionally
Keep CPA from cringing…
The Right Software Will…
Law Firm Bookkeeping
Contingency & Flat Fee NOT Exempt!
Chronology of what has been done on a matter
Periods of Inactivity? Are cases stagnant?
Can be used for lien against proceeds if client pursues change in representation
Why Track Time?
Reasonableness of Fee
Ethical duty to communicate with client; explains work done in easy to read, professional fashion
Effective Hourly Rate and other reporting metrics – make smart business decisions
Know where your time and that of all staff is being spent – time is your widget! Includes NB time.
Why Track Time?
Assessing Productivity
Partners, Associates, Professionals, Staff
What are they doing?
How Long Does it Take Them?
Are they PRODUCTIVE?
Track everything
Marketing
Continuing Education
Administrative Time
Client Work
Reporting
Review Regularly
Modify Behavior
Tracking Time is More Than Just Billing Time
9
Lead by example – not “do as I say, not as I do”
Have regular meetings to review case status, particularly those with long periods of inactivity
Properly train staff to use software
Ability for billing staff to see all time is in for everyone is all time is logged.
Enforce Consistency
Efficiency is key. Timekeeping may show inefficiencies.
Contemporaneous timekeeping will tremendously increase accuracy
Allows you to discover your true costs. Cost of production –revenue = profit.
Capturing Time
Productivity Paradox
Why Relevant?
Alternative fee arrangements (AFA’s)
Alternative fee arrangements (AFA’s)
BENEFITS
Client’s Perspective Firm’s Perspective
More Predictability
Lower Risk
Faster Results
Better Financially Able to
Pursue Matters
Efficiency
Loyal Clients
Number of Clients
Efficiency and
Accountability
Predictable Revenue
No Cap on Income
Potential
Alternative fee arrangements (AFA’s)
• Fixed-fee & contingency
• Fixed Plus Hourly
• Value or incentive billing
• Flat fee by matter stage
• Volume discount
• Hourly Plus Contingency
• Flat fee for portfolios of work
Productivity
Collections & Receipt/Payment Allocations
WIP & AR
Cash Flow
Financial Statements
Key Reports
Productivity v. Profitability
Productivity v. Profitability
Receipts/Payment Allocations
A/R & WIP
Cash Flow
Balance Sheet
Income Statement (aka
Profit & Loss)
Trial Balance
Financial Statements
Assets
Bank Accounts
Fixed Assets
Money due to Firm
Liabilities
Notes Payable/Loans
Credit Cards
Payroll Taxes Due
Equity
Account Types
Income
Fee Income
Interest
Expenses
Office expenses (rent,
utilities, insurance, etc.)
Payroll & Benefits
Account Types
Balance Sheet
Income Statement (P&L)
Retained Earnings
Trial Balance
What’s Wrong with QuickBooks?
Not matter centric
Trust compliance (no negative balances)
Billing templates limiting, particularly for AFAs
Lack of write-up/down tracking
Software
Can’t assign billing templates & specifics to matter
No LEDES billing
IRS Attorney Audit Technique Guide for hard/soft cost distinction
No Timekeeper Summaries/Recaps
Lack of ability to show trust balances by matter on report or on bills
Lack of Productivity Reporting
Why Not QB?
Lack of Pre-Bill or Batch Bill Editing
Lack of control over payment allocation
Rate limitations by employee by client
No split billing
No integrated practice management –everything is a link
Why Not QB?
Best options for smaller firms v.
larger firms
All-in-One or piece meal
Legal Specific v. General
Software
Software
Smaller firms: Tabs3, PCLaw,
CosmoLex, Actionstep, etc.
Mid-Sized firms: Orion, Rippe &
Kingston, Coyote Analytics,
ProLaw, Tabs3
Large firms: 3E by Thomson
Reuters, Aderant
Software
All in one terrestrial product: TBA and PM – can buy what you need
Has option for web portal
Renowned stability & support
Scalable
Peer to peer, server or hosted server
Tabs3
Tabs3
(*prices may have changed)
Full TBA but only a few PM features – all or nothing
Can pair with Time Matters or Amicus
Mobility app
Lexis purchased in early 2000s
Peer to peer, server or hosted server
PCLaw
PCLaw
(*prices may have changed)
SaaS/Cloud product with full TBA
and robust PM and workflow
Banking and credit card integration
to download transactions
LawPay credit card integration
Client Portal
Centerbase
SaaS product with full TBA
Some PM but not robust
$59/mo per user if annual; $69
for month-to-month
Cosmolex
SaaS product with full TBA and
PM
Client Portal
$60/mo/user
ActionStep
Terrestrial/traditional full TBA
and PM
Newer company but designed
by accountants for lawyers
Competitive pricing
Coyote Analytics
Several other SaaS and terrestrial
options but many not full TBA,
thus not recommended
Links often problematic and only
certain things pass through
Timeslips, FreshBooks, Bill4Time,
etc., Clio
Other Options
Research options and get the right tools for you; seek help if unsure
Train everyone properly
Review the correct reports. Be aware of your financial situation; keep your finger on the pulse.
Know when to get help, perform checks and balances and ask CPA to review.
Conclusion
Name: Cindy Melfa| Email: [email protected]