{"id":142790,"date":"2026-01-27T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/01\/27\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T01:00:00","slug":"want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/01\/27\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to Get Paid Faster? 5 Ways to Fix Law Firm Invoicing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Delays in your invoicing process can have a big impact on your cash flow. Here are five tips from law firm process pros Karen and David Skinner to help you fix invoicing problems.<br \/>\nThe post Want to Get Paid Faster? 5 Ways to Fix Law Firm Invoicing appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers.<\/p>\n<p>In every legal practice, there are important processes that happen before the legal work begins and others that happen once the legal work is done. These are your \u201cbookends.\u201d And if they\u2019re not efficient, you\u2019re wasting time and leaving money on the table in every single file that moves through your firm. Your law firm\u2019s invoicing process is one of the most important processes to get right.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/law-firm-invoicing-process.jpg?resize=770%2C495&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"law firm&#039;s invoicing process\" class=\"wp-image-100032324\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\">\n<h2>Table of contents<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/#h-five-tips-to-improve-your-law-firm-s-invoicing-process\" data-level=\"2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Five Tips to Improve Your Law Firm\u2019s Invoicing Process<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/#h-1-communicate-your-billing-policies-up-front-and-stick-to-them\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">1. Communicate Your Billing Policies Up Front \u2014 and Stick to Them!<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/#h-2-use-standard-invoice-templates\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">2. Use Standard Invoice Templates<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/#h-3-send-invoices-promptly-and-regularly\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">3. Send Invoices Promptly and Regularly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/#h-4-make-it-as-easy-as-possible-for-clients-to-pay\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">4. Make It as Easy as Possible for Clients to Pay<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/#h-5-delegate-and-automate\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">5. Delegate and Automate<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/want-to-get-paid-faster-5-ways-to-fix-law-firm-invoicing\/#h-take-a-look-at-your-law-firm-s-invoicing-process\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Take a look at your law firm\u2019s invoicing process.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group cust-audio-set\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"exemag-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/share.transistor.fm\/e\/5f3ecacb\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-five-tips-to-improve-your-law-firm-s-invoicing-process\">Five Tips to Improve Your Law Firm\u2019s Invoicing Process<\/h2>\n<p>Invoicing delays were costing a fortune for one of our clients, a midsize firm with a lot of insurance clients. Their large insurance clients required an invoice within 15 days of the start of the month for fees incurred in the previous month. Fees incurred in previous months would not be paid, and invoices submitted more than 15 days after the first of the month were immediately rejected. However, the law firm\u2019s invoicing process was exceptionally slow. They couldn\u2019t generate any pre-bills until all attorneys had submitted their time, and there were invariably laggards. Every month was a panic.<\/p>\n<p>Your situation might not be as dire, but delays in your invoicing process can still have a big impact on your cash flow. Here are five tips to help you fix invoicing problems.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-communicate-your-billing-policies-up-front-and-stick-to-them\">1. Communicate Your Billing Policies Up Front \u2014 and Stick to Them!<\/h3>\n<p>Poor communication is one of the most common complaints clients make about their lawyers. Whatever your billing process is, ensure you communicate it clearly to your clients in your engagement letter. Include it in your client onboarding package, if you have one. And then stick to your stated policies. Once you\u2019ve created an expectation, clients will be confused, flustered and possibly quite annoyed if you deviate.<\/p>\n<p>Ensure you are very clear up front about your fees. Whether you charge hourly or use fixed fees or some combination, provide your clients with a very clear explanation of the scope of your services, so they know what is included in the fees they\u2019ll be charged.<\/p>\n<p>Include your payment terms and acceptable payment methods.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-use-standard-invoice-templates\">2. Use Standard Invoice Templates<\/h3>\n<p>If you use standard invoice templates that contain everything you need to comply with regulations in your jurisdiction, you\u2019ll reduce errors and save time. Also, regular clients will know exactly where to look to find the information they need on your invoices.<\/p>\n<p>As part of your standardization, ensure that you are also using standard narratives. This will maintain consistency between attorneys and individual bills that clients receive. Attorneys will save time, and clients will have more clarity on what they\u2019re being billed for.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-send-invoices-promptly-and-regularly\">3. Send Invoices Promptly and Regularly<\/h3>\n<p>People are most likely to pay willingly and quickly when your great service is fresh in their minds. Conversely, the longer you wait, the more likely they are to complain about the bill.<\/p>\n<p>In one firm we know, one of the attorneys had a months-long backlog of clients he had not billed. For the firm, it was an embarrassment. Who wants to send out a bill more than a year after work was completed? It was also a serious drain on cash flow and, ultimately, revenue. The long delays gave clients a potential excuse not to pay at all.<\/p>\n<p>Sending interim invoices not only allows you to even out your cash flow but also provides clients with smaller, more manageable amounts to pay. The last thing you and your clients want is sticker shock at the end of a mandate.<\/p>\n<p>If you bill hourly, consider billing clients biweekly or monthly rather than waiting until the end of your engagement. If you bill in stages, consider breaking your stages down even more so that you can bill more frequently.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-make-it-as-easy-as-possible-for-clients-to-pay\">4. Make It as Easy as Possible for Clients to Pay<\/h3>\n<p>You want to make payment of your invoices as frictionless as possible. That means creating a process that allows multiple payment methods, including electronic transfers and credit cards.<\/p>\n<p>Using an invoicing platform that generates electronic invoices with links to pay by credit card is another way to remove friction in your process. While you may incur fees when you use credit card payments, those fees will likely be offset by the benefit of being paid quickly and by reduced internal payment processing costs. In fact, according to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.clio.com\/resources\/legal-trends\/2019-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Clio\u2019s\u00a0Legal Trends Report<\/a>, 57% of firms that accept credit cards get paid the same day they are billed, and 85% get paid within a week. Credit card payments make it easy for clients and may even earn them loyalty or travel points that offset the cost of your fees a little.<\/p>\n<p>Immediate payment benefits you as well. You have the fees right away, and you reduce administrative costs related to late payments and collections. The last time we had our wills updated, our notary had a point-of-sale machine in the office where we signed our documents. We paid by credit card before we left the room. She had her money, and we didn\u2019t have a bill to worry about paying later in the month. It was done.<\/p>\n<p>Payment plans are another way to make it easier for people to pay. Clients make an initial payment and then a monthly payment after that until their bill is paid. Lawyers using this system report great success and very little default. And, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clio.com\/resources\/legal-trends\/2020-report\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clio<\/a>, clients rank payment plans as a really important factor for hiring a law firm.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-delegate-and-automate\">5. Delegate and Automate <\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re a senior lawyer or law firm owner, most of the invoicing process is not in your power zone. That is, it\u2019s not work that requires your unique abilities, you probably don\u2019t love it, and it is not where you are adding the most value to the firm.<\/p>\n<p>Invoicing is important, don\u2019t get us wrong. You may have a role in reviewing pre-bills and confirming final amounts, write-downs and write-offs, but most of the process can be automated or delegated to others.<\/p>\n<p>Most practice management platforms and law firm accounting systems include an invoicing system that eliminates many steps, ensures that time, fees and disbursements are properly attributed, and generates invoices in just a few clicks. Automate as much of your process as you can with the tools you\u2019ve already got, or consider investing in a new system that will take on the invoicing for you.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-take-a-look-at-your-law-firm-s-invoicing-process\">Take a look at your law firm\u2019s invoicing process.<\/h3>\n<p>Consider the five tips in this article and ask yourself: How can I make it easier for me to manage and for my clients to pay? When you get your invoicing process right, you\u2019ll be paid faster, reduce administrative costs related to billing and collections, and your clients will be happier. Everybody wins!<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center has-background\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DJ81371L\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"412\" height=\"612\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The-Power-Zone-Playbook-COVER-Low-Res-w-Rule.jpg?resize=412%2C612&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Power Zone Playbook for Lawyers book cover\" class=\"wp-image-100034488 size-full\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-069d1d18c05d637dacc6ee5787682390\" id=\"h-get-the-power-zone-playbook-for-lawyers\">Get the Power Zone Playbook for Lawyers<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">By Karen Dunn Skinner and David Skinner<\/p>\n<p><strong>Get out of the grind and into your power zone!<\/strong> Learn to align the work you do with the work you love, finding the sweet spot where your expertise, passion, and client needs intersect. It\u2019s here, in your Power Zone, that you will discover the secret to a thriving practice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Everything you need is in your Playbook.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 has-custom-font-size is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\">\u200bGet it now!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<p><strong>More Process Improvement Tips<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/5-tips-to-make-law-firm-time-entry-less-painful-for-lawyers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">5 Tips to Make Time Entry Less Painful for Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/law-firm-intake-3-tips\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Law Firm Intake: 3 Tips to Save Time and Convert More Clients<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/new-client-onboarding\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New Client Onboarding: 5 Tips to Win Over New Clients<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/5-steps-to-improve-your-law-firm-hiring-process\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Time to Build Your Team: 5 Steps to Improve Your Hiring Process<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/6-ways-to-improve-employee-onboarding\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">From Hire to Higher: 6 Ways to Improve Employee Onboarding<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Image \u00a9 iStockPhoto.com. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile has-white-background-color has-background\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/subscribe\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"372\" height=\"106\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/AttorneyatWork-Logo-%C2%AE-2021-1.jpg?resize=372%2C106&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-100019522 size-aaw-full-width-no-crop\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Sign up for Attorney at Work\u2019s daily practice tips newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/subscribe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">here<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/feeds.transistor.fm\/attorney-at-work-today\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">subscribe to our podcast<\/a>, Attorney at Work Today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Delays in your invoicing process can have a big impact on your cash flow. Here are five tips from law firm process pros Karen and David Skinner to help you fix invoicing problems. The post Want to Get Paid Faster? 5 Ways to Fix Law Firm Invoicing appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142790"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142790\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}