Leading Law Firms Turn to Stuart Maue
Over the years, Stuart Maue has developed a strong relationship with law firms. Recognized as the trusted source in the legal bill review industry, firms retain Stuart Maue for their own needs as well as those of their clients.
How Law Firms Work With Stuart Maue
Supporting the Law Firm Directly
Review of a law firm’s own invoices for guideline non-compliance
Stuart Maue is often retained by law firms to review their own invoices prior to submitting their invoices to a client for payment. Stuart Maue can review invoices for generally accepted billing standards and/or for non-compliance with client billing guidelines. A Stuart Maue review provides the firm assurance that invoices are as complete and accurate as possible before they are sent to the client.
Training/Billing seminars
Law firms look to Stuart Maue for instruction on best billing practices and to help firm timekeepers develop proper billing habits. With over 30 years in the industry, Stuart Maue can assist your internal staff with developing billing practices that are in line with applicable standards of professional responsibility, case law, and client billing guidelines. Stuart Maue training will enable your firm to avoid billing conflicts with clients.
Invoice prove up and consulting
Law firms that find their invoices challenged by clients or adverse parties in fee-shifting cases turn to Stuart Maue to assist in proving up the value of their invoices. Stuart Maue attorneys and accountants provide the firm with litigation support, including advance notice of potential issues and assist in developing strategies to defend contested fees.
Support on Behalf of the Law Firm’s Client
Litigation support
A firm may hire Stuart Maue to quantify billing issues and prepare exhibits that the firm can use in negotiations, mediation, arbitration, or trial to support arguments and positions related to the reasonableness of the fees and costs.
Bill review and expert testimony
A firm may hire Stuart Maue to review billings their client incurred from law firms representing them in other matters. Stuart Maue can conduct a brief evaluation of invoices to determine if billing problems exist, examine whether the problems are significant to warrant further review, and quantify billing issues.
Analysis of attorney fee petitions
If the client is involved in a fee-shifting case, Stuart Maue is often retained to review the fees incurred by the opposing party that the client may be required to pay. Stuart Maue’s review will assist in identifying fees in the opposing party’s bills that are excessive, duplicative, or unnecessary.
Attorneys representing insurance companies often engage Stuart Maue to review the fees submitted by the insured’s law firms. Stuart Maue can provide declarations, affidavits, and expert testimony regarding the fees submitted.
In these situations, Stuart Maue attorney auditors craft written reports tailored to a client’s specific need supported by detailed exhibits, which identify and quantify billing issues.
Accounting and payment cost allocation accounting
Insurance coverage, fee-shifting, and construction defect cases may require complex allocation of fees and costs between multiple insurers, by varying policy periods, between relevant parties, or by relevant issue requiring detailed pro rata apportionment to the carrier’s respective limits or allocation of issues. In these scenarios, a law firm may hire Stuart Maue to assist their client in the proper apportionment of fees and costs.
For more information about how Stuart Maue’s Law Firm Services can help you, call us at: 1-800-291-9940 or e-mail us at: info@smmj.com