For most attorneys, the billable hour is a fact of life—ingrained in firm culture, compensation models, and client expectations (and client complaints). But what if it didn’t have to be? What if there was a better way to practice law, one that rewarded efficiency, aligned with clients’ goals, and eliminated the constant pressure of tracking every six-minute increment?
At AEON Law, we made the leap in 2009. We killed the billable hour and fully embraced a fixed-price model for all our intellectual property (IP) prosecution work (we still switch back to the old billable hours for litigation or negotiations as we cannot account for third parties’ interactions). After 15 years, we’ve learned that this approach isn’t just better for clients—it’s better for lawyers, too.
Why We Ditched the Billable Hour
The conventional law firm structure creates disincentives for efficiency. The more hours billed, the more revenue earned. However, this model often leads to inefficiencies, redundant work, and even subconscious incentives to delay resolutions. It also discourages the adoption of new technology that could speed up processes—because, in a billable-hour world, working faster means making less money.
On the other side, fixed pricing rewards attorneys for cultivating expertise. If a lawyer can draft a solid patent application in a quarter of the time it takes a junior associate, they should not be penalized for their celerity. Instead, they should be rewarded for delivering high-value work efficiently.
How We Made It Work
Transitioning to fixed pricing wasn’t just about changing invoices—it required a complete mindset shift. Here’s what we learned along the way (learn more about setting up fixed pricing by reading “Fully Fixed-Price Legal Services: How Your Firm Can Make the Switch”):
- Focus on outcomes, not hours. Clients don’t hire us to spend time on a patent application; they hire us to get a patent granted. Our pricing reflects that goal.
- Leverage technology. Without the constraint of billable hours, our lawyers and professional staff embrace new technology tools that will make them more efficient and productive. Notably, this made us “AI ready” before AI took off. We quickly embraced AI-assisted trademark searching and AI-assisted patent drafting, which allowed us considerable time savings.
- Set clear, fair pricing. We developed standardized pricing models for common IP services, ensuring predictability for clients while maintaining profitability.
- Change compensation incentives. Our lawyers are rewarded based on the value of work delivered, not hours logged. This fosters a culture of collaboration rather than competition for billable time.
Why Fixed Pricing is Better for Lawyers and Clients
Since adopting fixed pricing, we’ve seen real benefits:
Our clients are happier because they know exactly what to expect—no surprise invoices. They also aren’t afraid to call their lawyer with edits, revisions, or new ideas. Our lawyers have more control over their workloads and compensation.
Overall, we can focus more on quality, not just clocking time. This approach isn’t just an experiment; it’s the foundation of our firm. And for lawyers who want to break free from the grind of billable hours, it’s proof that a different way is possible.
If you are running your own firm or considering a move to one that does things differently, fixed pricing might be worth exploring. It takes commitment and a willingness to change, but the rewards are real.
Adam Philipp. Adam is the founder of AEON Law, an intellectual property boutique in Seattle. He is listed among the IAM Strategy 300 Global Leaders for his leadership in patent law. Adam can be reached at adam@aeonlaw.com.
