What I have found is that local firms run by partners with a big firm background long for the day their local firm is considered a big firm too. They try to run their local firm as if it was one of the “Big 4.” They promise you small firm service with big firm experience. What they really deliver is big firm prices done by small firm staff.
It is nearly impossible to keep your billing down when the work is done by a staff, reviewed by a manager, returned to the staff for corrections, re-reviewed by a manager, and then given a cursory once over by a partner – especially when that partner dings your account for an hour of his time at $250 – $350 an hour. With all those hands touching your work, how can they keep a bill down?
I know I couldn’t do it if I had all those hands in the pot. Hourly billing merely means inflated bills. This is why I offer guaranteed fixed pricing – one price for all your agreed upon services – no matter how long it takes.
