I was reading one of “those” articles, you know, the ones that give you a list of reasons why certain types of people, habits, or beliefs are more conducive to success.
This one was about what rich people do differently.
One of the items on the list caught my eye because it’s something I did in my practice and something I preach in my sermons to you.
Verily: “Rich People Choose to Get Paid Based on Results”
When I began my practice, I charged by the hour and made a good income “per hour”. I earned a lot more, however, when I moved away from hourly work and focused on cases that paid contingency fees. It didn’t matter how many (or how few) hours I worked on a case. On more than a few cases, I earned the equivalent of thousands of dollars per hour.
If you practice in areas that aren’t conducive to contingency fees, there are other ways to be compensated that aren’t tied to the number of hours you work.
Charge by the matter, not by the hour. Ask for higher fees or bonuses for better results. Work with clients who offer equity instead of just cash. Hire more attorneys and earn the difference between what you pay them and what you bill the client.
If you can’t do this, look for other opportunities, outside of your practice. Because you’ll never get rich trading time for money.
How to do legal billing right
