All-Time Worst Lawyer Billing Practices

As you all know, I’m not much of a fan of hourly billing.  Sometimes, we do it in litigation as part of a blended arrangement where we share risk with the client.  This can either be a flat fee cap or a contingency fee component to hourly work.  But a story I heard from a client the other day got me thinking.   What are the worst billing practices used by lawyers?  Here’s my list:

• Calling a client who doesn’t have a live project to find out how they or their company are doing and then sending a bill to the client for the time spent on the phone.
• Offering to pay for a lunch with the client and then sticking that as a “cost” item on the bill.
• Billing time that doesn’t add any value to the matter.
• Billing for cover letters which contain no substance or analysis.
• Billing the client time when they question the bill.

Come on.  You can do it.  Give me some additions to the list.  I know you have them!