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Taylor Porter Partner Skip Philips was interviewed in a Baton Rouge Business Report article, "Endangered Species: Corporate Lawyers Who Bill by the Hour," published on Jan. 2, 2019. The article discusses the trend that with clients demanding greater efficiency for their legal buck, several law firms, nationally and here in Baton Rouge, are increasingly offering alternative fee arrangements, as opposed to the traditional hourly billing method.

Philips said the frequency of alternative fee arrangements depends on the nature of the firm’s practice and its client mix. Larger and savvier national clients, such as insurance companies, typically know to ask for unique pricing structures, he says, whereas smaller businesses might be better served getting billed by the hour, depending on the circumstances. Still, Phillips says he’s gotten more inquiries than in years past from prospective clients on alternative fee arrangements as businesses become increasingly familiar with the business of law.

“Don’t expect a groundswell change in the way our firm deals with our clients on a business basis,” says Phillips, “but with economic pressures and technology reducing the costs of legal representation, I’d expect our clients to want to benefit from it.”

Practicing law since 1983, Philips focuses his practice areas on state and federal civil trial and appellate litigation, including banking, commercial, insurance, personal injury, insurance coverage, and products liability cases. His practice also includes corporate law as counsel to several non-profit organizations. Philips served as Managing Partner at Taylor Porter from 2010-2018. He has been ranked by his peers and clients in Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, Louisiana Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers.