Time, Trust, and Tension: Navigating Billing in High-Emotion Cases
About this session
Billing is hard enough without the added complexity of emotional cases and stressed-out clients. When someone’s in crisis, talking about money can feel awkward—or even impossible. But your work still deserves to be billed, and you still need to get paid.
In this practical session, a panel of experienced legal professionals will share real-world stories and strategies for handling billing when tensions are high. Learn how to preserve client trust, maintain firm-wide boundaries, and keep your practice financially healthy—without losing your humanity.
You'll learn how to:
- Set expectations early to avoid billing confusion down the line
- Navigate tough conversations with emotional or reactive clients
- Establish firm-wide billing habits that support consistency and clarity
- Approach nonpayment tactfully—without damaging the relationship
- Protect your peace of mind while staying financially sound
Featured presenter(s)
Jordan is a practicing attorney in Texas, and the Director of Attorney Education and Development at Smokeball. Her family law expertise includes complex property division and contentious custody cases, as well as appeals and prenuptial agreements. In addition to her family law practice, she’s passionate about legal technology and how it can revolutionize law firms.
Jordan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Classics, History, and Religious Studies and then went on to attend the University of Arkansas School of Law to earn her J.D. After almost four years of practice with a high-asset family law firm in Houston (and after being frustrated at the lack of automation in her firm), she discovered the world of legal technology which ultimately brought her to Smokeball.
In Hacking Law Firm Success with Jordan Turk, she interviews law firm founders about how they grew and scaled their practices, as well as their ethos behind managing a firm.
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With a background in computer science and attending Loyola University’s School of Law, Emily brings a unique blend of technical insight and legal expertise to the field of law firm operations. Over the past 15 years, she has worked extensively in family law & litigation law firms, focusing on client relations, legal billing, and maximizing profitability.
Emily has managed client billing and communications for over a decade, becoming a trusted expert in hourly billing practices specific to the hourly biller. In 2022, she transitioned from firm life to join Smokeball’s training team as a legal billing expert. Her role has since evolved into account management, where she continues to work hands-on with law firms across the country, helping them optimize their use of Smokeball’s practice management software.
Emily’s deep experience in law firm operations paired with a passion for productivity and process improvement enables her to help firms run more profitably while delivering a better client experience.
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