What does fee earner mean?
Fee Earner a Fee Earner includes Partners, Solicitors, Legal Executives, Paralegals, Assistant Solicitors, Trainees, Associates and any other personnel whose time is charged against client work.
What is the difference between a fee earner and solicitor?
There is no difference between being a paralegal and fee earner in your job title – it all boils down to what you have done in your role as a paralegal or fee earner. A solicitor is a fee earner, a barrister is a fee earner, a legal executive is a fee earner.
How do solicitors charge fees?
By far the most common method of charging used by law firms is the hourly rate. There are some other methods which are used such as “no win, no fee”, but, in common with most other law firms, we primarily use hourly rates.
What is non fee earner?
Definitions of non-fee earner employees who do not produce revenue for the employer by charging clients.
What is a chartered legal executive lawyer?
Chartered legal executives are qualified lawyers who specialise in a particular area of law in England and Wales. A chartered legal executive is an authorised lawyer. Chartered legal executives often specialise in an area of law, and carry out reserved legal work alongside solicitors or CILEx Practitioners.
Why can solicitors charge so much?
Much of the work done by solicitors is charged on an hourly rate basis. The more hours spent, the more the solicitor charges. This has sometimes been called the “plodders’ charter”. It rewards the solicitor who is slow at their job more than it rewards the efficient solicitor.
Is a paralegal a solicitor?
Paralegals are not qualified solicitors, but they are trained to carry out legal tasks and can offer legal assistance, doing pretty much everything a solicitor can do bar what are known as Reserved Activities. A solicitor can sign such documents on your behalf but a paralegal cannot.
What is the difference between legal executives and solicitors?
Legal executive The main difference between solicitors and legal executives is that the training of legal executives is narrower. Legal executives have studied to the same level as a solicitor, but they have specialised in a particular area of law and completed fewer subjects overall.
What is a fee earner in a law firm?
A fee earner is defined as a lawyer who takes on cases or instructions and charges a client a fee to do so. This is a common term in the United Kingdom, but not often used in the United States. Clients The fee-earner works directly with clients of the law firm in order to resolve the client’s legal problems.
What is the difference between a fee earner and non-fee earner?
Put simply, a fee earner is a member of staff who directly generates income for the firm. A non-fee earner’s role will largely support those fee earners. So, if the work you are doing is charged to the client, such as drafting documents, meeting clients, or attending court, then you are a fee earner.
Is a legal secretary a fee earner?
A solicitor is a fee earner, a barrister is a fee earner, a legal executive is a fee earner. A legal secretary is not on the face of it a fee earner, neither is a Legal Cashier, a Practice Manager, a PA or a receptionist.
Is a paralegal a fee earner?
Some paralegals are fee earners too as, depending on their role, their work might be charged to the client. Those in a law firm who work in positions such as legal secretary, legal assistant, or barristers’ clerk are usually non-fee earners.