One of the largest law firms in the country, DLA Piper, is being sued by a former client for overbilling. There are stories in the New York Times' Dealbook blog, Suit Offers Peek at Art of Inflating A Legal Bill, and at Slate, "Churn That Bill, Baby." An email sent by one of the law firm's lawyers said this about the client's bill:
“Now Vince has random people working full time on random research projects in standard ‘churn that bill, baby!’ mode,” Mr. Thomson wrote. “That bill shall know no limits.”
Reading these articles will confirm everyone's worst suspicions about our profession. So defense or explanation is going to be attempted by me. Outrage is appropriate.
