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Efficient Voucher Management and Budgeting Guidelines

Guidelines on timely voucher processing, budgeting, and cost containment strategies for legal professionals. Prior approval and cost-saving tips emphasized to adapt to changing legal landscape. Helpful resource contacts provided.

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Efficient Voucher Management and Budgeting Guidelines

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  1. VOUCHERS AND BUDGETING 6th Circuit

  2. AVOID PATTERNS • It does not take .5 to send or read every email • It does not take .1 to check ECF • Keep time contemporaneously

  3. MEMORANDUM • The District Court is familiar with the case, the Circuit is not. • You did the work, now tell us why. • If you are asking for an additional 5K, 10K or more, you should be willing to put a little effort into the Memo. • We do not care what you charge per hour on private cases. • We do not care that you could not work on private cases while doing the CJA case. • We don’t care that you have been doing this for 25 years.

  4. CAN WE READ IT • Type or do it on a computer, do not handwrite it. • Check your math. • No cryptic abbreviations. • Keep a copy.

  5. BUDGETING • If you expect to exceed $30,000.00 you should budget. • All budgeting is ex parte and under seal. • Budgeting gives you prior approval. • Budgeting gives you interim payments. • Budgeting can save you time.

  6. PRIOR APPROVAL • Before you retain an expert or service provider, or bring in help for your case – you should get prior approval. • If you don’t, they might not get paid. • Only $500 can be spent without prior approval. • Over $2400 needs District and Circuit approval.

  7. IT’s TIME TO CHANGE THE CULTURE • The economy is not going to improve any time soon. • We are all under a duty to conserve costs. • There is no more open federal checkbook.

  8. HOW CAN WE SAVE MONEY • Even if you are not budgeting, you should look for ways to contain costs. • The more defendants in a case, the more you can save. • What resources can we share? • How can we avoid duplication? • Can a law clerk or paralegal do the work efficiently and for a lower cost?

  9. PRESUMTIVE RATES • Law clerks $15 - $25 per hour • Paralegals $35 - $50 per hour • Associates (CJA) $90 per hour • Associates (non-CJA) $80 per hour • Investigators $65 - $100 per hour • Doctors $150 - $250 per hour • Interpreters (non-certified) $35 - $50 per hour • Interpreters (certified) Half day/Full day rate • Translators .12 - .15 per word

  10. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX • You don’t need a certified interpreter to visit your client in jail. • Can the Marshal bring your client to the courthouse for a visit with other scheduled prisoners? • Put audio discovery on an Ipod for your client. • Get a computer major at college to convert your audio to MP3. • Ask the Judge for help. • Negotiate rates.

  11. WHO CAN HELP? • On large discovery cases, call • Sean Broderick and Kelly Scribner • National Litigation Support Administrators • 510-637-1950

  12. WHO ELSE? • Coordinating Discovery Attorney • Talk to Sean and Kelly

  13. IS THAT IT? • No, talk to your co-counsel and to each other – and…… • Call me Bob Ranz 515-564-7358

  14. LEARN TO PLAY WELL WITH EACH OTHER • This is the hardest thing for defense attorneys to do. • We are all in the same leaky boat, so it behooves everyone to work together.

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