The Billing Clerk (Specialist) is responsible for managing the Firm’s processes and systems related to time-keeping, billing, retainer replenishment, accepting payments, and collections of accounts receivables. The Billing Specialist ensures time entries demonstrate value, so clients pay their bills timely. The Billing Specialist also ensures bills are generated and mailed timely and works directly with clients to ensure bills and installment payments are on time and retainers are replenished, so the Firm always has sufficient cash to meet cash requirements and the legal team works only for paying clients.
Responsibilities
* Review case management or time billing system daily.
* Review the quality and timeliness of time entries. Contact billers to ensure time is entered timely.
* Edit bills to correct typos, grammar errors, and ensure proper sentence structure.
* Coordinate with billers to improve descriptions of activities to ensure the bills demonstrate progress and value.
* Coordinate with billers to resolve apparent errors where time is entered on the wrong matter or entries appear to be duplicated.
* Identify time entries incorrectly designated as “non-billable” (or vice versa) and coordinate with the billers to draft proper billable time entries.
* Collect records of expenses of costs advanced to clients and update the case management system and accounting system accordingly. Identify for the Controller/Administrator/Owner where billable records exceed Firm guidelines/timeframes for activities.
* Report to Controller/Administrator/Owner regarding patterns of quality or timeliness and other training or performance issues.
* Generate pre-bills bi-weekly/monthly and provide them to the Controller/Administrator/Owner for review and approval.
* Prepare or generate final invoices/statements and send them to clients in accordance with the Firm’s policies and procedures for timekeeping, billing, and expense tracking. Process payments in accordance with the Firm’s policies and schedules for accepting payments.
* Manage the retainer/trust accounts, auto-replenishment, and installment payments.
* Monitor timeliness of payments and contact clients whose payments are not timely received. Accept payments or negotiate payment plans or installment plans in accordance with Firm policies and procedures. Obtain approval from Controller/Administrator/Owner prior to committing the Firm to a non-standard agreement.
* Oversee A/R collections and case withdrawal process.
* Advise Controller/Administrator/Owner of clients who will not pay and have A/R older than one billing cycle.
* Initiate the first phase of A/R collections calls in accordance with Firm policies and procedures.
* Notify Legal when withdrawal from a case is necessary; gather red rubberband files and update case management system.
* Work with clients to address questions and concerns related to billing and payment and provide customer service to resolve issues and save relationships.
* Work with the client, Merchant Service Provider, and credit card company to resolve disputes and requests for “charge back” or refund. Issue refunds with the express approval of the Owner.
Matrix of Tasks
* Review daily time-keeping records and work with billers to ensure accuracy.
* Answer telephones.
* Contact clients to obtain payment.
* Link/calendar appointments, calls, messages, correspondence in the case management system.
* Create contacts and update contact information in the case management or contact management system.
* Oversee the billing process: pre-bills, final bills, process payment, contact clients with late payments, update case management and accounting systems.
* Case and administrative filing.
* Compile metrics on contacts and collections.
* Review A/R and work with Controller/Administrator on collections efforts (payment plans, red rubberbands, case withdrawals).
Qualifications
* The Billing Specialist must be able to demonstrate proper grammar, proofreading, critical thinking, and business writing.
* The Billing Specialist will have at least two years’ experience as an assistant in a professional service business, preferably in a law firm.
* The Billing Specialist will be organized and efficient, comfortable with various types of accounting software, and demonstrate proficiency with MS Office.
Key Performance Indicators
* Fee earning/production staff achieve at least 90% realization towards billable hours requirements; exceptions or performance issues are noted for the Firm Administrator weekly.
* 90% of payments are processed timely.
* Non-paying clients are contacted within 3 business days.
* No more than 15% of A/R is more than 60 days old (aging) without an approved payment plan.
Compensation
$5 - $8
About Vasquez Law Firm, PLLC
With more than 35 years of combined legal experience, we know what is at stake, and we know how to get results in a wide range of practice areas. If you are facing a difficult situation, we are ready to put our experience and client-focused approach to work for you and your family.
We help immigrants and their families navigate the legal aspects of immigration, criminal defense, personal injury, and workers' compensation issues in their own language, connecting them with resources to improve their lives far beyond their court cases.
If you have the drive and the skills to contribute to our mission and are ready to take on this challenging yet rewarding role, we would love to hear from you.
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