Suppose you are an attorney who is asked to travel to California to work for a client for a few days. The client pays for your airfare and you bill the client for the time spent traveling from Houston to California. While on the trip, you work on a case for another client. You bill that client for the time spent as well. Ultimately, you bill both clients for the time spent in the airplane. Is this ethical?
2006-10-06 04:48:41 · 13 answers · asked by FutureMrsMarsalia 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I'm not an attorney---
2006-10-06 05:01:40 · update #1
I know this question, it was in our ethics book in law school.
Double billing is not ethical, you should pro-rate your time between the two clients. This is what happens when you are assigned two cases at the same court and the same time. You split your time between the two
2006-10-06 05:16:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally double billing is unethical. In this case you are billing client #1 for requiring you to travel. In the 2nd case you are simply bill client #2 for time you spent working on his case. In reality if you could have just kicked back on the flight had a few drinks and relaxed. And still gotten paid for your travel time. Is that any worse than working on another case? Of course a lawyer with tighter set of ethics/morals would likely spent the time on the plane working on the 1st persons case.
2006-10-06 12:04:58 · answer #2 · answered by Sabersquirrel 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time is Money and with the cost of getting Qualified!
It's the least one should charge for!
I Must Admit that a Good Client Relationship is Based on Give & Take as well as Understanding of What Your Services Offer!
2006-10-06 11:53:40 · answer #3 · answered by J. Charles 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would only bill each client for the amount of time I actually spent working on their individual matter - I wouldn't bill both clients for the entire flight time. I think that would be unethical.
2006-10-06 11:53:29 · answer #4 · answered by Vicki D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends. How well did this lawyer inform his clients during their buying decision? Did he or she knowingly permit his/her clients to remain under a false belief of exclusivity or of a per-hour wage? If so, no; otherwise, the client did have a responsibility to research his or her decision, and the decision to hire the lawyer implies the meeting of that responsibility and the acceptance of all conditions. THerefore, given those assumptions, the act was ethically permissable.
2006-10-06 11:55:09 · answer #5 · answered by The Armchair Explorer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not in my opinion. It is a matter of informed consent. The client who knows the whole picture should at least know what he / she is paying for. You can't charge double time for something that did not require more effort than to charge for one!
2006-10-06 11:54:06 · answer #6 · answered by Cub6265 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess you are travelling and working on the other client so you are giving up workng from the comfort zone of ur desk and all...so yah bill both?
2006-10-06 11:53:27 · answer #7 · answered by klumzy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if i had to change my flight to accomodate the 2nd client would the second client be billed.
Dirty lawyer!!!
2006-10-06 11:53:07 · answer #8 · answered by Lotus Phoenix 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You buy I fly, but your not the only client.
2006-10-06 12:05:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well no, your double billing, if audited, it would be difficlut to justify how you can be servicing 2 clients at once
2006-10-06 11:50:47 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋