How Would You Like To Pay For That?

Today, it's standard practice to obtain a litigation budget at the outset of a claim. This wasn't always the case.

Not long ago, a client asking for a litigation budget might have been met with a senior partner's dismissive response: "It's impossible to predict the cost." But clients persisted, prompting a shift in how litigation expenses are planned and managed. As obvious as the question sounds, asking "How much will this cost?" was an innovation in litigation management.

Now, it's time to ask an inward looking question, directed at the buyers of litigation services rather than law firms. Like the budgeting question before it, this one has the potential to transform how litigation claims are handled.