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canadianLawyErmag.com/inhousE august 2014
ust a few years ago, if you brought up the topic of value or alternative billing with a law fi rm you'd
get a deer-in-headlights response. Now, you get head nodding.
"How much are they really doing and how much they've implemented varies, but rarely do
they not know (about value billing)," says Peter Gutelius, assistant general counsel at RBC.
While value billing — and technology such as e-billing and legal case management systems
— is still not widely used by internal and external counsel in Canada, it's starting to gain some
traction, albeit slowly.
To date, RBC has had success with value billing in its auto insurance portfolio, as well as its retail bro-
ker litigation in the U.S. Value billing is, in part, linked to cost, "but I always want to ensure that when we're
structuring something that cost is not the only factor," says Gutelius. "Cost is a component of value, but it's
not the only component."
PULLING
TOGETHER
How
technology
can bring
insight
into billing
matters and
relationships
with outside
counsel.
BY VaWN HIMMELsBaCH
traction, albeit slowly.
— is still not widely used by internal and external counsel in Canada, it's starting to gain some
traction, albeit slowly. traction, albeit slowly.
J
