Would You Take This Job? Billing and Collections Coordinator

Billing and Collections Coordinator
Employer: Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Location: Washington, DC (hybrid)
Pay: $68,137 – $85,172 / year (Washington, DC range listed)
Type: Full-time — Accounting / Legal Billing

What You’ll Do:
• Prepare and review client invoices in customized formats per Billing Attorney and client guidelines.
• Perform override calculations, adjustments, and ensure billing/payment accuracy for write-offs.
• Monitor and reconcile payments received; proactively manage aging of unbilled fees, costs, and A/R for assigned attorneys.
• Coordinate billing and collection efforts with Billing Attorneys and support client billing deadlines and rate inquiries.
• Use 3E (and other department tools) to prepare reports, run billing-system extracts, and modify billing templates as requested.
• Support budget reporting, compile monthly/quarterly billing statistics, and take on special/ad hoc projects from attorneys or supervisors.

Why It Stands Out:
• Join a reputable, established law firm with a defined salary band and hybrid work flexibility (#LI-HYBRID).
• Work in a role with clear ownership over client billing processes and direct collaboration with attorneys — high visibility within the firm.
• Strong opportunity to leverage and grow technical billing skills (3E, e-billing, advanced Excel) in a service-sector environment.

Potential Trade-offs:
• Client-driven deadlines and complex billing guidelines require high accuracy and occasional tight turnarounds.
• Role expects advanced Excel and 3E proficiency — steep learning curve if you’re new to firm billing systems.
• Coordination with attorneys on aged unbilled fees can be time-consuming and requires diplomacy.
• Salary depends on experience and office location within the stated range.

Qualifications / Requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) or equivalent and a minimum of five years’ accounting experience in a service-sector organization; at least two years must include law-firm billing experience.
• Direct legal billing and 3E experience required; e-billing and ARCS experience preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills and comfort preparing complex reports/charts.
• Strong attention to detail, ability to handle confidential billing data, and solid communication skills for working with attorneys and clients.

Perks / Benefits:
• Salary range provided ($68,137–$85,172 DC range); actual pay will vary by experience and location.
• Typical employer benefits (confirm specifics): medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off, and professional development opportunities.
• Hybrid work option and opportunity to work closely with billing attorneys and firm accounting leadership.

Here is the link to view more job details or apply.

Would you take this job?

If you were applying, what would be your top three non-negotiables: (A) clear salary placement + transparency on bonus/raise cadence, (B) hybrid schedule details + expectations for in-office days and flex, or (C) access to formal 3E/Excel training and a supportive onboarding/mentorship plan? Which would you pick and why — and what would you ask the hiring manager before accepting (for example: “What is the salary offer for my experience level within the listed range?”, “How many in-office days are required and is there flexibility for remote billing work?”, “What training/onboarding is provided for 3E and advanced Excel tasks?”)?

1 Like

Would take it at $80k+ if “hybrid schedule details” are nailed down — DC hybrid often drifts into 3–4 days in, which kills flexibility. Also ask invoice volume and system (Aderant vs Elite), because those customized attorney formats can quietly double your hours.

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Backing @michael3839 I’d ask about “average monthly pre-bills per coordinator,” attorney turnaround time, and e-billing rejection rates — at my last shop (Aderant + Legal Tracker), 280–320 pre-bills turned month‑end into whack‑a‑mole unless we had OT and a collections bonus. If their rejection rate is under about 5% and attorneys sign off within 48 hours, $80k+ feels fair; do they pay OT?

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But i’d zero in on how much true collections they expect versus billing admin — at my last firm we owned 60–90 day follow-ups with a DSO target, and having ‘write-off authority up to $500’ made life sane. @oliver58’s point on specifics is spot on; also ask who handles appeal escalations (eBillingHub/legal portals) and whether collections metrics affect reviews — otherwise month-end turns into whack-a-mole. If it skews collections-heavy, I’d aim for the top of the band.

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I’d ask to see one anonymized invoice packet plus their client billing guidelines up front — at my last firm that exposed nonstop rate exceptions and LEDES edits that ate hours. @lewis8 if they can show a clean packet and a real two-day attorney review SLA, I’d feel fine targeting the top of the range.

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I’d want to know if they keep a living “rate/discount matrix” and who owns updates — when ours lived in scattered emails, cycle time lagged and write-downs spiked. Also ask how expense backups flow from Chrome River/Intapp into LEDES and whether non-recoverables get auto-flagged; that alone saved me a day each cycle. Pay looks solid, but I’d clarify AFA volume and split bills or you’ll be doing spreadsheet archaeology, @michael3839.

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Piggybacking on @vicmart, the make-or-break for me was who enforces ‘timecard hygiene’ — if there’s a clear no‑narrative, no‑bill policy with partners backing it, billing flows; if it’s ad hoc, you’ll spend nights rewriting and resubmitting — did they mention an SLA for time entry approvals?

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