Alternative Fee Arrangements at Aronberg Goldgehn

The billable hour model may be the most common way to handle legal matters today, but at Aronberg Goldgehn, the sixth oldest firm in Chicago, we know this has not always been the case. The hourly model is a relatively recent concept - attorneys have only been tracking minutes and hours as a means for determining fees since the 1970’s. Prior to that, many different strategies were used to charge clients for legal services. Indeed, for most of this firm’s existence, it did not bill by the hour. 

For the past decade, we have been at the forefront of the alternative fee arrangement (AFA) movement. Now that law firms all over the country are looking to offer AFAs, it is important to consider a firm’s experience in crafting and implementing such strategies.   

Combining Aronberg Goldgehn’s rich history with our forward-thinking energy, we have developed and refined a collaborative model for determining AFAs. We work directly with a client to determine the specific goals and objectives on each matter to determine the optimal arrangement. By using experienced trial lawyers to litigate, and technology to reduce labor, cases are kept in constant motion and clients are always informed. Clients find that the appropriate AFA can enhance the predictability of litigation costs, thus cutting down on budgetary overages.    

It takes a fresh approach and a skilled hand to develop and implement the AFA that will best suit the client’s needs and the nature of the particular litigation. That is why it is important to have the knowledge of what works from real-world experience. Alternative fee arrangements - just one more way we focus on Practice Made Personal®.