Dec 4, 2013 – The first seminar in the State Bar Practice411^™ Breakfast & Business: Eggs, Ethics, and Answers series focuses on alternative fee arrangements and billing options, limited scope representation, and virtual law practice trends. The series comes to Appleton on Dec. 20 and Milwaukee on Jan. 24.

First Session – Don’t Be Afraid of Alternative Billing: Establishing Value-based Services Through Fees, Alternative Fee Arrangements, and Billing

Learn about the changing landscape of legal fees. Clients have more choices than ever before from competing lawyers and nonlawyer legal service providers. Alternative fee arrangements are gaining popularity, helping lawyers meet the challenges of the changing legal environment while delivering value and quality service to their clients. This session, presented by Nerino Petro, State Bar practice management advisor, addresses:

• The ethical rules regarding establishing your fees and the factors to be considered
• How the Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct are affected by using different alternative fee arrangements
• How clients perceive value for legal services
• Understanding value and how to determine alternative fees
• Using technology to improve effectiveness, efficiency, and value
• Implementing alternative fee arrangements

Petro has 14 years of solo legal practice experience and 12 years as CEO of CenCom Legal Technologies, which he founded to help lawyers and their staff deal with the practice management issues facing them.

Second Session – Trends in Law Practice Management – Limited Scope Representation and Virtual Law Practice

Neenah attorney Kathy Brost discusses current and proposed Rules for Professional Conduct governing limited scope representation. Brost also discusses operating a virtual law practice, the costs and benefits, technology options, the effect operating virtually may have on your practice, and ethical and other important considerations.

Brost owns Brost Law Office LLC, a boutique law firm in Neenah that focuses on the legal and compliance issues of fraternal benefit societies. Brost has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, 11 of which were as in-house counsel to the nation's largest fraternal benefit society, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans f/k/a Aid Association for Lutherans.

About Practice411^™

Practice411 is a State Bar of Wisconsin program that assists lawyers in improving their efficiency in the delivery of legal services and in implementing systems and controls to reduce risk and improve client relations. This seminar is part of Practice411’s Breakfast and Business Series, which travels statewide giving members the opportunity to meet other lawyers and hear about solutions for their law practice management issues.

Tuition is $84 for members, $39 for Ultimate Pass^™ holders, and $99 for nonmembers. The program will be submitted for up to 3.5 CLE and EPR credits. Register online.