Why don't I tell you what I did by sending you an invoice?

Strange, right? Yet totally accepted and common practice in law. Here are three reasons this is dumb.

1) Receiving an invoice from a lawyer isn’t something anyone is looking forward to. Yet the communication accompanying invoices - monthly or otherwise - has become so transactional, unfriendly and curt that lawyers generally just add oil to the fire. That’s the first strike against this practice.

2) Using that invoice to communicate what you did - effectively giving a project update - is extremely dysfunctional. It’s insulting to the client to expect them to go through an invoice to understand what’s been happening. That’s the second strike against this practice.

3) Failing to keep a client up-to-date - outside of sending an invoice - regarding work that is being carried out on their behalf is inexcusable. As a lawyer you are working for them. Be appreciative, be caring. Not entitled, not condescending. That’s the third strike against this practice.

Billing for time is a disease that has rotted the legal profession and many other services. The moment you charge differently, you report to, update and communicate with the client differently. If you don’t do it yet, you should try it sometime.