If you are a lawyer or legal professional, you might already be familiar with the realization rate. This term often causes fear and anxiety among legal professionals. Law firm realization rate is the measure of a firm’s performance, which is why it is an important metric for a firm. We will be addressing the realization rate elephant in the room. We will dive into different aspects, such as what is the realization rate? How to improve it? Different types of realization rates and so on.
What is a Law Firm’s Realization Rate?
The law firm realization rate is a metric that measures law firm revenue and performance. In simple words, it is the total fraction of billable hours that is actually paid by the clients. Let’s take an example. You worked 100 hours for a client on a complex legal case and that client only paid you for 80 hours of work. In this case, your law firm realization rate will be 80%. Any time write-offs and discounts given by the law firm are subtracted from the realization rate.
There are many reasons why a firm’s realization rate can be less than 100%. For instance, delays in payments, no payment at all, and discounts can also reduce a firm’s realization rate.
Law Firm Realization Rate Types
There are three main types of realization rates for law firms that we are mentioning below:
Overall Realization Rate
Overall realization rate shows the big picture of the firm. The overall rate compares the revenue that the firm collected with the total amount that the firm could have collected if they had not provided any discounts, billed, and collected total fees for the legal services that the firm provided. It is basically the ratio of total cash generated and total cash that a firm could have collected.
For example, your hourly rate is $200, and you worked for 40 hours on a legal matter for a client within a month. In this case, you will be collecting $8000. But if you end up collecting $7200 after write-offs and discounts, then your firm’s overall realization will be 90%.
Collection Realization Rate
This realization rate is focused on the total money collection of the firm. In simple terms, the collection realization rate is the ratio between actual money collected by the firms versus what your firm billed out.
For instance, in March you sent clients invoices totaling $50000, but you collected only $38000. Your collection realization rate would be 76%.
Billing Realization Rate
In this realization rate, the focus is on the number of billable hours. It is basically the ratio between what you actually billed clients and what you would have billed a client at your standard rates. In billing rate factors like a discount, non-billable hours and no charge entry impact the realization rate.
5 Ways to Improve Law Firm Realization Rate
Here are 5 effective ways of improving the law firm realization rate. If your firm is struggling with managing a good realization rate, it might be helpful for your firm.
Efficient Time Tracking and Billing
Most lawyers and firms charge their clients on an hourly basis, which is why it is important to accurately track time for law firm billing. With legal technology and with time-tracking software, law firms can track every minute they spend working on legal matters. So for improving realization rate, use legal time-tracking software. It will automate the process of time tracking and invoice creation. Efficient billing can help in maintaining a good realization rate.
Improve Collection Efficiency
It is important to stay connected with clients as it helps with the process of bill collection. Accepting online payment for legal services can reduce the turnaround time and make the process faster. You should offer clients different modes of payment such as client portal, credit and debit card, etc. Send a timely payment invoice for your work, don’t just sit around and wait and send timely reminders for overdue payments and invoices.
Transparent Client Communication
Clear and transparent communication with clients regarding the billing process will not just improve client satisfaction, but also give a boost to the realization rate of the firm. With communication, you can set clear expectations at the outset of an attorney-client relationship. Share with the client the scope of work, estimate time, and total cost of the work.
When clients are aware of the billing process and they know what they are billed for, they are more likely to pay for the services. Regularly updating clients about the casework and progress will save them from any billing surprises.
Regular Bill Reviews and Training
Reviewing bills before sending them to clients is a long and time-consuming process. But it is necessary. You can use legal time and billing software to eliminate the need for manually checking. Create a recurring billing process and send timely bills to your clients. Educate lawyers and legal professionals in the firm regarding proper billing and timekeeping process. Share some tips and tricks with them regarding timekeeping.
Review and Adjust Billing Rates
It is important to know about law firm pricing according to the services that you are offering. Align your firm rates according to legal standards and value proposition with a regular review process. This will help in improving the law firm realization rate and provide better client satisfaction. By assessing how you are billing your clients, what additional services you are offering, and what the value of your services is will help you understand areas of improvement.
By conducting thorough market research, you will know what other firms with similar services are charging and you can adjust billing rates accordingly. Keep an eye on your billing cycle and review the bills generated. Create a comprehensive law firm reporting process of billing review and evaluation process.
The Bottom Line
Lack of efficiency can impact the law firm’s revenue. Law firms are always looking for different ways in which they can improve the realization rate for generating revenue. Law firm realization rate below 80% can be a concern. To avoid that happening, you can use the above-mentioned ways of maintaining and improving it. Additionally, we have also mentioned three different types of law firm realization rates. Improving the realization rate of your firm is a strategic process and an important one.