Keep Track of Your Time, Buddy...

(thanks to treehugger.com)

A friend of mine once told me that up to 40% of his firm's billings were collected in the final days of the financial year which of course made the firm's revolving credit facility with its bank essential for survival.

So timeliness is a virtue.

If you are Steven Pesner, big partner at Akin Gump, you make certain that virtue is its own reward by sending an email to everyone in the firm just so it can be leaked to the press to show what a good sport you are.

Above the Law recounts this wise email to us in full. (H/T to Steven Harper) Not much in the way of comment is needed for this. Here are a few of the salient points made by Mr Pesner (out of the 11 bullet points he drafted--query: did he bill this to the firm?)

9. For those of you who think you are exempt from doing time sheets on a daily basis, I’d suggest that you re-evaluate your importance and get ready to prove that (a) you are busier than I am on legal work, (b) you are busier than I am on client development work, (c) you are busier than I am on firm work and (d) [redacted] and I do not have better things to do with our time than beg you to be responsible;

All right, I admit, he has a way with words--a real sweet talker.

10. Candidly, I’d put every future material violator’s name in a hat, randomly pick out a name, and publicly fire the person on the spot—to demonstrate that time sheet compliance is serious business. And incidentally, it is my understanding that the job market is not so good right now in case you did not know;

And he shows respect for those whom he enslaves.

11. Also, please remember that I have a long and excellent memory.
If you have any questions, think long and hard before asking them—this simply is not very complicated.

Look at his picture--elephantine? Perhaps. That would explain the memory.