Result over process: why on-line billing cannot take in Russia

Billing has recently become the next sphere to receive the technological solution: thanks to new billing systems, the client will be able to monitor their accounts online. However, if abroad the responses about such services are mostly positive, their aptness in the Russian reality, where people still prefer paying for the result and not the process, is dubious.

Evgeny Zhilin, Managing Partner of the Law Firm "YUST", shared his opinion with Pravo.ru: "The system, as seen from the clients’ position, will require more time for administrating, and essentially “transfers” some responsibility for preparing the report on the client. It is presumed that the client, when monitoring the billing in real time, should promptly react to certain markers; and if no reaction follows, the consultant may fully act on the premise of no objections. This may easily cause disagreements later, when the client receives the monthly report, for example, if the client had not promptly reacted to markers. Besides, the time included in the billing system by lawyers is usually thoroughly checked by partners before sending the report to the client; and this “philter” may just disappear if the daily regime is adopted. This again will do nothing to improve the constructive relations between the counsel and the client ".

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