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Few topics create more tension in a client relationship than money. Clients want a straight answer. Lawyers worry about overpromising, scope creep, or starting a case with expectations that are impossible to meet.
In this episode of Financially Legal, Emery Wager sits down onsite at Bundy Law in Tulsa, Oklahoma with founder and managing partner Aaron Bundy to talk about what it looks like to treat pricing as part of the client experience. The conversation covers evergreen retainers, billing twice a month, charging for consults, and why getting the money systems right can actually improve quality of life for the entire team.
The Big Shift: Stop Dodging the Cost Question
Aaron’s view is simple: if a client asks “how much is this going to cost,” they deserve a real answer.
He argues that the traditional “lawyer speak” response, vague ranges, hedging, or soft estimates creates a mismatch that hurts everyone. If you tell someone a number that is a tenth of what the case will really cost, it is not fair to the client, and it is not good business for the firm. You also risk signing up someone who cannot afford the representation they actually need, which can turn into stress, resentment, and a broken relationship later.
His point is not that you can predict every case to the penny. It is that you should be honest about what you can predict, clear about what you cannot, and direct about the financial reality.
Why Law School Leaves Lawyers Unprepared for Money
Aaron doesn’t sugarcoat it. Law school does a poor job preparing lawyers to handle the financial side of practice.
Attorneys graduate ready to analyze cases and argue motions, but most have not been taught how to manage a trust account, structure a billing system, handle receivables, or set clear financial expectations with clients. Yet within a few years, many of them are responsible for significant client funds and the financial health of a matter.
So what happens? New lawyers learn by osmosis. They copy whatever system the firm already has in place, whether it works well or not. Over time, those inherited habits become “the way it’s done,” even if they create confusion, slow collections, or inconsistent client experiences.
The outcome is predictable. Billing practices vary widely from firm to firm. Clients are often unsure what to expect. Frustration builds on both sides.
For Aaron, that gap was not just frustrating. It was motivating. Instead of accepting the status quo, he kept coming back to the same question: is there a better way to structure this so it works for both the client and the firm?
The Core System: Evergreen Retainers + Frequent Billing
Bundy Law’s day-to-day work is primarily hourly family law, and their system is built around evergreen retainers.
Mechanically, the idea is straightforward:
- The client keeps a set amount in trust
- The firm bills frequently
The client “tops off” the retainer as needed to keep it at the agreed level
The most interesting detail is frequency. Bundy Law bills twice a month, on the 1st and 15th. Aaron says he was warned that clients would hate it. In practice, he has seen the opposite. Clients like it because it reduces the lag between work performed and money discussed.
Instead of trying to remember what happened 90 days ago, the client sees activity and cost in near real time. Even a statement that does not request payment still reinforces visibility into what is happening in the case.
Aaron frames it as budgeting support. Clients get hindsight quickly, notice what is driving cost (like a long meeting), and can make better choices about how they want to use the firm’s time going forward.
Quality of Life Is a Business Outcome
When things go sideways in a case, especially in high conflict family law, there is often a money problem underneath it. A client is tens of thousands of dollars behind. There is no clear path to getting paid. The lawyer keeps working anyway. Over time, the relationship shifts. Stress creeps in. Decisions become reactive instead of strategic. The quality of the work can suffer.
It is not usually about someone being unethical. It is about pressure. Financial strain changes the tone of everything.
The solution is not complicated, but it does require discipline. Set clear payment expectations from the start. Bill frequently so there are no surprises. Address issues early instead of letting balances grow. Build processes that make it easier to communicate and collect. Invest in training so lawyers are confident in both the legal work and the business side of the practice.
When those systems are in place, the firm is not constantly operating in crisis mode. There is less tension in the attorney client relationship. There is more space to focus on the work itself.
For Aaron, this ties directly to quality of life. If billing is predictable and operations are tight, you can shut the laptop at a reasonable hour. You can sleep. You can take a vacation without worrying that everything will fall apart. You can show up for your family and still run a strong practice.
In his view, getting the money right is not just about revenue. It is what allows you to be a better lawyer and a healthier human at the same time.
Going Further
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