Double billing refers to charging for the same product twice.
Commerce
In commerce, double billing is the error of charging a customer twice for the same unique product or service. This can occur due to a change in product name or due to a software error.
Law
In
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...
, double billing refers to charging an hourly rate to two clients for the same time spent working. The
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary association, voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students in the United States; national in scope, it is not specific to any single jurisdiction. Founded in 1878, the ABA's stated acti ...
prohibits double billing. It is tantamount to overcharging, since the amount of time actually spent working on any one client's work is less than the amount billed to that client.
Associates and
partners alike at large
law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise consumer, clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and Obligation, respon ...
s face significant pressure to double bill or to "pad" their hours in order to reduce overwork. These attorneys are usually required to bill 1800 to 2000 hours per year. This can ideally work out to a 40-hour work week, but it is usually 60 or more, since most attorneys must spend around two hours in the office for every one that they can bill to a specific client. In 1998, Cameron Stracher's book ''Double Billing'' suggested that double billing is common in law firms, but that implication was misleading. However, several recent studies suggest that at least 1/3 of lawyers admit that they double-bill clients on at least an occasional basis, and that more than half of lawyers do not believe that double billing constitutes an ethical violation.
"Guide to Law Firm Overbilling"
, litigation limited.com. Retrieved on 2012 April.
Notes and references
Fraud
Legal ethics
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