As
in marriage, effective client engagements always begin
with an effective proposal. Proposals create the
opportunity to explicitly communicate the scope and
understanding of the engagement between the client and
provider of services. If it is done properly, it can
minimize and alleviate potential misunderstandings and
allow the client to achieve his or her goals and the
law firm to fulfill the client’s needs. Proposals
should:
- Establish
clear boundaries of what the engagement and fees
entail
- Set
preliminary start and stop dates
- Communicate
accountabilities and responsibilities of the
service provider and client
- Provide
methodologies to be used
- Provide
any options available to the client
- Explain
how progress and results of the engagement will be
measured and communicated
- Convey
the value of the matters being addressed and
stipulate the outcome
- State
conditions and terms of fee and reimbursement
arrangements
- Offer
reasonable assurances and guarantees
A
Quick Check Up
It
is easy to get caught up in day-to-day business and
lose sight of some key areas that should be analyzed
on a regular basis. Legal services firms should
regularly "check up" and consider analyzing
some of these areas:
- Financial
and leasing relationships and agreements
- Professional
licensing and continuing education status
- Insurance
- Security
issues
- Office
policies and procedures
- Referral
sources
- Client
statistics
- Retirement
plan compliance
- Technology
and capital requirements
- Hiring/attrition
trends and related policies and procedures
Steve
Brown, CPA is the Partner-in-Charge of the Legal
Department at Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. LLP (RBG&Co.),
certified public accountants and business consultants
located at 230 South Bemiston Avenue in St. Louis,
Missouri.
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