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The Opportunity: Billing Specialist (Flexible Hybrid in SF Bay Area or Fully Remote in California) The Billing Specialist supports the delivery of quality legal services to clients by performing all aspects of the firm's monthly billing process including special billing related projects and a broad range of requests, with a high level of analytical and problem-solving skills to resolve complex issues. Provides instruction and assists others in the use of the time and matter programs. Makes system updates of core billing information. Covers aspects of the Time and Billing Supervisor’s job in the supervisor's absence. This position is based in San Francisco, working in our office (2-3 days/week) or fully remote in California.
The Day-to-Day:
Invoice Preparation: Prepares client invoices including complex billing agreements as revised by attorneys and in accordance with client guidelines using the accounting software. Researches questions and discrepancies. Interfaces with attorneys and secretaries as necessary and works with Time and Billing Supervisor to resolve issues. Ensures necessary data updates are in place to proceed with bill preparation. Makes routine and complex adjustements to invoices including: text edits, address changes, adjustments or write-offs of fees and costs, transfer of time and costs, and rate adjustments. Prepares task-based and electronic bills, troubleshoots e-billing rejections, provides expense back-up, and makes "manual" adjustments to bill formats via Word as required. Invoice Recording: Reviews and verifies pre-bill to invoice data and releases the approved pre-bills for posting. Verifies release output and posts final pre-bills to accounts receivable in accounting system. Mails paper client invoices and submits electronic formats for e-bill clients. Collections and Accounts Receivable: Coordinates with AR/Collections team to ensure that trust payments are applied during the billing process for the appropriate clients, based on attorney instruction. Performs mass revision and reapplication of payments to prior bills based on client or attorney requests. Provides bill and payment information when needed. Electronic Billing Set-up/Maintenance: Supports the Time and Billing Supervisor with client requested e-invoicing platform set-up and maintenance, including timekeeper and rate submittals and annual updates. Assists with rate submission of new timekeepers on ebilling matters. Special Billing Projects: Provides financial information for court fee petitions and prepares supporting exhibits of detailed time and expenses. Supports the Time and Billing Supervisor as needed with special research projects as requested by attorneys, secretaries and clients. Handles various billing projects as requested, including but not limited to updating existing and creating new bill invoice formats, creating new matter plans, creating billing instructions for new clients based on their Outside Counsel Guidelines. Works with the Time and Billing Supervisor and the Financial Systems Administrative team when new reports are needed, including auditing those reports for accuracy. Cost Recovery: Enters miscellaneous firm disbursements and computerized research charges to client matters using the Expert generic importer. Performs data entry of disbursements as necessary. Reviews cost recovery/disbursement output and posts charges. Maintains monthly disbursement files and electronic cost recovery archives. Accounting Closing Activity: Assists with month-end tasks to ensure a prompt and accurate close and initiate the new billing cycle. Tasks include follow-up and resolution to outstanding pre-bills, including revised bill and internal bill projects, auditing expense upload errors, reviewing new pro bono/admin matters for appropriate set-up, and correcting time entry errors. Alerts timekeepers with time in “pending/draft/error” status, releases as necessary. Performs bulk time transfers. Revalues time entries as necessary. Posts all released time. Checks Expert log to ensure all disbursement imports have been entered and posted correctly. In the absence of the Time and Billing Supervisor, takes lead of the month-end closing processes. Information Management: Performs updates to bills groups, matter plans, rate sets and data entry regarding routine client, matter and billing information, e.g. address information and bill instructions. Confirms and updates as necessary, rate information as represented on new matter intake paperwork. Submits rates and requests for new matter set-ups via the various e-invoicing platforms for approval as needed during the monthly billing process. Supports Time and Billing Supervisor with annual rate update tasks as needed. Reporting: Coordinates with billing attorneys in conjunction with client requested accrual, budget, forecast and status report responses. Assists Time and Billing Supervisor as necessary in routine reporting processes, e.g. audit responses, outstanding bill lists and miscellaneous report requests. Maintains Files: Maintains accurate and current expense disbursement files. Creates new files as necessary. Handles matter closing processes, including communicating with other department team members when additional steps are needed. Assists System Users: Answers questions and aids attorneys and staff regarding the use of the firm’s timekeeping and matter inquiry programs and other available information reports. Works Cooperatively and Collaboratively with Others: Strives to meet deadlines. Follows firm policy and department protocols. Maintains department customer service standards. Assists with special projects as assigned. Communicates with clients in a professional and service- orientated manner. Works cooperatively with attorneys, secretaries, and others, as necessary. Assists in covering team member’s desk during absence.
Requirements:
Education: High school diploma or GED required. Some college and accounting coursework desired. At a minimum, 2-year degree preferred. Experience: Minimum five (5) years billing experience in a professional services firm, preferably a law firm. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
High-level of knowledge of client billing and relevant accounting concepts and procedures. Proficient in the use of MS Office Suite of software (Word, Outlook, and Excel), pdfs. Familiarity with accounting/finance/billing software (Aderant or Elite) and ability to become familiar with Prebill Viewer and Aderant BillBlast. Strong basic math skills. Accurate typing and data entry with 10-key by touch. Strong reconciliation, research and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal; demonstrated understanding of correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Ability to work effectively within a team environment and to work proactively. Strong time management, prioritization skills and the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment; ability to coordinate multiple tasks concurrently, pivot and meet deadlines. Strong organizational skills and, interpersonal skills. High level of accuracy, and attention to detail.
What We Provide:Farella supports all the members of our Farella family in achieving both personal satisfaction and professional accomplishment. Farella provides competitive salary and excellent benefits including comprehensive, medical, dental, vision, generous PTO, educational reimbursement and charitable contribution matching. The annual base compensation range for this California position is expected to be between $95,000 and $115,000. Placement within the salary range depends upon a number of factors including years of experience, professional skills required for this role, and location. Additional compensation may include a discretionary bonus, health and welfare benefits, PTO, leave, paid holidays and retirement plan benefits. At Farella, we recognize that the contributions, individuality and diversity of all of our professionals are key to the firm’s success and meeting the needs of our clients. And like our clients, we value attributes such as enthusiasm, character, and high ethical standards. In fact, these are core qualities in all the individuals who come to work with us—and in all those with whom you will work! The longevity of those in all positions at the firm speaks to the warm, collegial, professional and rewarding environment at the firm. Farella has for many years been named one of the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times / Silicon Valley Business Journal, and placed #2 in our size category this year. We ranked the #4 Best Midsize Law Firm to Work For in the United States by Vault. Who We Are:Farella Braun + Martel is a leading Northern California law firm representing corporate and private clients in sophisticated business transactions and complex commercial, civil and criminal litigation. Clients seek our imaginative legal solutions and the dynamism and intellectual creativity of our lawyers. We are headquartered in San Francisco and maintain an office in the Napa Valley that is focused on the wine industry.Farella’s commitment to supporting the industries of Northern California and our entrepreneurial responsiveness to the regional demands, have driven our growth and evolution. Nimbleness and opportunistic management have propelled our success through 60 years. From trial prowess in high-stakes litigation to utility-scale renewable energy project development and complex transactional expertise, Farella’s clients rely on and appreciate our fierce focus on client service and high quality work. Farella has successfully fused the quality, experience and resources of large firms with the relationship, flexibility and personal attention associated with a mid-sized firm. Commitment to Diversity, Equality + InclusionWe strive to ensure that everyone working at Farella feels like they belong. To that end, our recruiting, retention and practice development programs welcome, support and promote the interests of women, families and people of all ethnicities and sexual orientations. At Farella, we are committed to diversity, both as an ethical ideal and as a business imperative. RecognitionFarella has received industry and peer recognition equal to any firm in the country. Our attorneys include fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, American College of Appellate Lawyers, American College of Environmental Lawyers, American College of Coverage Counsel, College of Labor & Employment Lawyers, and American College of Investment Counsel. Farella has been named among Law360’s California Powerhouses, featured on the National Law Journal’s Midsize Hot List. Green BusinessIn 2006, Farella was the first major law firm in San Francisco to obtain certification as a green business by the San Francisco Green Business Program, recognizing the firm for meeting the program’s stringent environmental standards. We received our fourth Green Business certification in 2020.
