搜索
【经济学人】双语阅读：律师事务所标价更高收益更少Business商业报道Lawfirms律师事务所Chargingmore,gettingless标价更高，收益更少Lawyers'biggestcustomersarediscoveringthattheycanhaggle律师的最大客户们发现他们能与律师还价THEREweregroansinbigcompanies'legaldepartmentsinthemid-2000s,whenthefeesofAmerica'spriciestlawyersfirsthit1,000anhour.当美国最高的律师酬金达到每小时1000美元，20世纪中期，一些大公司的法律部门里开始抱怨连连。Suchrateshavesincebecomecommonatfirmswithprestige.自此以后，这样的价格在名企变得普遍。AsurveypublishedthisweekbytheNationalLawJournalfoundthattheynowgoashighas1,800.美国法律期刊刊登的一项调查表明，现在的律师费用已经高达1800美元/时，Butthegeneralcounselsoflargebusinessesareincreasinglyfindingthattheycanignoretheseextravagantrates,andinsistonbigdiscounts.但是那些为大公司效力的法律顾问却逐渐发现，他们忽视高额酬金，并坚持较大折扣。Price-discountingtendstobeassociatedmorewithused-carlotsthanwithposhlawfirms.Therewasatimewhenalawyercouldsubmithisbillandbeconfidentofreceivingachequeforthesameamount.价格折扣渐渐常见于二手车交易，并非光鲜的律师律师事务所。有一段时间，律师收到的支票跟账单数目一样，并且，他们引以为豪。Inbanneryears,someevengotmore,asgratefulclientstippedthemalittleextraforajobwelldone.在收益相当的那些年，一些慷慨的客户还会给点小费，来奖励他们的良好表现，因此有些律师能得到更多。Sincethefinancialcrisis,however,therealisationoflawfirms—theproportionoftheirstandardratesthattheycollectinpractice—hasbeensliding.然，自金融危机，律师律师事务所的个人实现，即他们在实际中累积到标准价格的部分在下滑。EarlierthismonthPeerMonitor,acompanythattracksthelegalindustry,saidthattheratiointheUnitedStatesdroppedfrom92%in2007toanall-timelowof83.5%in2013.本月初，一家跟踪报道法律产业的公司，PeerMonitor表示，在美国，价格比率已由07年的92%下滑到空前低值，13年的83.5%。Britishlawyershaveseenasimilardecline.英国律师界也有类似情况。Discountsarerampant,saysBradHildebrandt,aconsultanttolawfirms.折扣现象在蔓延。一家律师律师事务所的顾问BradHildebrandt如是说。Theeconomicforcesdrivinghigh-flyinglegaleaglesintothebargainbinarenomystery.经济力量将这些高身段的律师界雄鹰打入廉价区，这已不再是秘密。Demandforcorporatelegalworkonsuchthingsasmergers,takeoversandshareandbondissuesplummetedinthe2008-09recession,andhasyettorecover.在企业合并、收购、股票债券问题等的法律合作需求也在08-09年的经济衰退中减弱，至今没恢复。Simultaneously,theeasyprofitsonceearnedinlitigationdepartmentshavealsodriedup:thetedioustaskofreviewingmountainsofdocuments,whichlawfirmsusedtofarmouttobattalionsofnewlyqualifiedassociates,canincreasinglybedonebycomputers.同时，诉讼部的易得利润也枯竭了：枯燥的审核成堆文件工作，之前律师事务所都是承包给大批刚合格的伙伴，现也被电脑代替了。Puttinguppricesatatimeofweakdemandandfiercecompetitionseemsperverse.在需求小，竞争激烈的时候提高价格似乎有些悖于常理，Yettheindustryhascontinuedtoincreaseitsstickerpricesby2-3%everyyear—onlytogivebackalmostallthegainbyofferingever-greaterdiscounts.但是律师行业仍旧持续以每年2%-3%的速度提高标价—仅仅只是提供一个更好的折扣给顾客。Onereasonforthisisthat,asevermorebigclientsdiscovertheycanhaggle,lawfirmshaverealisedthatthebestwayforthemtostartthenegotiationiswiththehighestpossibleasking-price.原因之一在于，因为更多的客户发现他们能讨价还价，律师律师事务所意识到开始协商的最好办法就是给出最高索价。Inthis,lawyersnowfindthemselvesinthesameboatasaccountantsandotherprofessionalswhohavelongbeenusedtohavingtobargainwithbiggercustomers.而如今，律师们发现他们跟会计以及其他职业的人一样，一直以来都在跟较大客户还价。Anotherreasonisthatsophisticatedlegalservicesaresomewhatlikeluxurycarsandhandbags,inthatahighasking-priceistakenasasignofquality.另一个原因是，错综复杂的法律服务体系有点像豪车和高端手提包一样，高价意味着高质。Noonewantstohavehiredthecheaperfirminahigh-stakeslawsuit.没人想在一个赌注高的诉讼中雇佣一个廉价律师事务所来为自己工作。Butperhapsthemostimportantrationalefordiscountingisthatitletslawfirmschargedifferentpricestodifferentclients,dependingontheirwillingnesstopay.但折扣最重要的理论基础是，它使得律师事务所根据不同的客户收取不一样的费用，当然，这取决于客户的意愿。Andevenamongbusinessclientswithbigbudgets,thisvariesmarkedly.甚至是与预算高的商业客户，价格也明显不同。Overthepast25yearssomelargecompanieshavebuiltuptheirin-houselegaldepartments,sothatthesecannowdealwithoutsidelawfirmsonanequalfooting.在过去的25年中，大公司自己内设了法律部门，像外面的律师事务所一样处理相关问题。In-houselawyersknowthemarketvalueofeverytypeofservice,andhavesophisticatedsoftwarethatscrutinisesinvoicesandqueriesanomalies.内部律师了解每一种服务的市场价值，拥有完善的软件细查发票，质疑异常。Suchclientsnolongerjusttakethelawfirm'swordforhowmanyhoursitslawyersspentonajob:ifthebilllookspadded,theywillnothesitatetodemandcuts.这样的商业顾客，不再完全听信律师事务所在某一案子上花费的时长：如果账单看上去有水分，他们将毫不犹豫寻求折扣。DuPont,achemicalsgiant,hasfoundplentyofscopeforcurbingitslegalbillsbybecomingacannierclient.化学巨头杜邦发现变身为一个精明的客户，能有许多减少法律账单的机会。Intheearly1990sitspreaditslegalworkamong350firms.在20世纪90年代，杜邦将法律事务分配给350个律师事务所，Nowitusesonly38—includingsomesmallerfirmsinsmallercities,whichofferbettervalueformoney.现在，只委托38个—包括一些较小城市的小公司，这些公司把金钱的价值用到实处。DuPonthaspersuadeditsremaininglawfirmstoworktogethermoreclosely.杜邦劝导现有的律师事务所加强合作。Forroutineworkitinsistsonflatfees;forriskiercasesitseeksno-win,no-feeagreements.对于常规事务，坚持统一收费，对于有风险的事务，寻求没有胜利就没有酬薪的宗旨。Aboveall,saysThomasSager,DuPont'sgeneralcounsel,Wehadtocommunicatethatthisisanewday,andyouneedtobeascommittedtoourfinancialsuccessasyouaretoyours.特别是，杜邦的总顾问ThomasSager说：我们不得不相互传达‘今天是新的一天，你必须坚定的为我们的经济成功努力，就如同你对自己的那样'的信息。Lawfirms'profitswouldevaporateiftheyofferedsmallerandlesssophisticatedclientssuchattractivedeals.如果将很完美的方案提供给较小的，不那么精明的客户，律师事务所的利润可能会减少很多。Fortunatelyforthem,theyhavesofarbeenabletogetawaywithofferingdiscreet,selectivediscounts.幸运的是，目前为止，他们能够避免供应谨慎，选择性折扣。Therearestillafewbigclientsaroundwhodonotrealisewhattheyaremissing:仍有少数大顾客没有意识到错过了什么：Ifyouincreasetherateeveryyear,someclientswillmakeyoutakeitback,butotherswillletyoukeepit