Just hit my fifth year as a solo attorney and I'm still torn on whether flat fees or hourly billing is more fair to clients

I billed a client $3,500 flat for a simple estate plan last month but another client with the exact same work paid $4,200 on hourly and I can't figure out which one felt like a rip-off to who... what do you all think works better in practice?

2 comments

2 Comments

roberts.jordan17d ago

Well, is there a support group for lawyers who charge differently for the same work and then lie awake at 3 AM wondering if they're the villain? Because I think I need the meeting schedule. Honestly, I've been doing this for twelve years now and I still can't get comfortable with either system. Flat fees always feel like a gamble where I'm betting the client won't have questions, and hourly billing makes me feel like I'm charging for every time I sneeze while looking at their file. I've started splitting the difference by giving a flat fee estimate with a cap, but then I just end up working for free when things go sideways. The real trick is probably just picking one and sticking with it so you stop comparing invoices in the dark like a weirdo.

harperwright17d ago

A flat fee estimate with a cap is still hourly billing just with extra math.