Many attorneys will put off the decision of whether to pursue a client for unpaid legal fees until the end of the calendar year. With the second quarter of the year just beginning, the issue of unpaid fees may not be an immediate priority. After all, many clients will pay outstanding bills throughout the year. And repeatedly requesting that a client pay his or her bills can be an uncomfortable conversation for attorneys, especially for those with long-standing client relationships.

If an invoice (or invoices) go unpaid for too long, however, an attorney and law firm may be left to accept the loss of unpaid fees or, alternatively, to file a suit against the client. Either decision can create risk for the attorney that worked hard on the matter.