Menu

Commitment to Value

Our mission for every client: to achieve the best possible bottom-line result at the earliest possible date.

Lathrop GPM partners with clients to deliver the highest-quality legal services in the most effective and efficient manner. We engage in a number of initiatives that demonstrate our commitment to providing true value to our clients.

Client Service Standards
Exceptional client service is crucial to delivering value and making ourselves indispensable to our clients. We must, therefore, create an atmosphere of constant attention to providing exceptional client service. These Client Service Standards set forth the minimum expectations for Lathrop GPM employees in serving all of our clients, whether they be external fee-paying clients, pro bono clients, or our colleagues within the firm.

  1. We will know our clients.
  2. We will provide value to our clients according to their specific needs.
  3. We will deliver superior legal services to our clients.
  4. We will work with clients to determine deadlines, and we will meet or beat agreed-upon deadlines.
  5. We will candidly communicate with clients regarding fees, costs, risks and outcomes.
  6. We will keep clients informed of the status of their matter and will respond to client communications within half a business day or sooner.

Alternative Fee Arrangements
Clients appreciate the Lathrop GPM approach to valuable alternative fee arrangements. In fact, in 2020, the firm was one of 70 firms named to BTI Consulting’s list of “Law Firms with the Best Alternate Fee Arrangements,” which was based solely on feedback from clients. We routinely develop various fee arrangements as alternatives to standard hourly billing, including: 

  • Budget – At the outset of the matter, attorneys consult with the client to determine a budget and bill against it through completion.
  • Standard Fixed Fee – A fixed fee is established for a portfolio or for legal matters in a specific practice area
  • Component Fixed Fee – In certain types of litigation that occur on a regular basis, a total fixed fee may not be feasible, but for certain components (phases, depositions, motions, etc.), a set amount can be predetermined.
  • Blended Rates – All work – whether performed by an associate, counsel or partner – is billed at a flat rate that reflects a blend of the team’s rates.
  • Discounting and Success Fees – Work is performed at a discounted hourly rate, with a success bonus negotiated and defined at the start of the matter.
  • Retainer – For a fixed monthly amount, Lathrop GPM will provide general counsel services, which may include attendance at management meetings, telephone consultation and select project work.
  • Contingency – In specific cases and upon review, the firm may offer to work on some matters on a contingency basis.
  • Other Innovative Fee Arrangements – Lathrop GPM can work with clients on unique fee arrangements specific to matters that are hybrids of the above or completely different to meet client’s needs

Legal Project Management
Lathrop GPM demonstrates its commitment to excellent client service by offering comprehensive matter management that ensures greater predictability and cost-effectiveness for any client’s legal spend. Other benefits include thoughtful matter staffing to deliver on-budget and on-time legal services, and increased matter monitoring and communication.

Our legal project management program includes attorney and support staff training, process improvement implementation, best practices development, and alternative fee and pricing services. In addition to the firm’s in-house legal project management training, many Lathrop GPM attorneys have completed formal legal project management training provided by outside consulting firms.

Client Feedback Program
We understand the importance of cultivating trusted and lasting relationships with our clients. In fact, we actively request performance reviews from our clients through in-depth client feedback interviews. These discussions include assessments of our performance and results, communication and responsiveness, legal fees, budgets and billing, and technology. We share this feedback with relationship attorneys and firm leadership, and we provide assistance to each client team to complete any recommended actions – constantly ensuring that our work is guided by the voice of the client.

Technology Resources
Our firm has long built and maintained client portals for the exchange of documents and pertinent case information, and our client teams work within sophisticated project management and collaboration tools to enhance productivity and efficiency. Additionally, through secure remote-access technologies and integrated voice and videoconferencing tools, the firm enables attorneys to be highly available for clients from any location.