The key difference between a Non-Standard Rate and a Rate Group in LeanLaw comes down to individual customization vs. centralized rate management:
Non-Standard Rate
A Non-Standard Rate is a user-specific, client- or matter-level billing rate that differs from the user's default "standard" rate. These are manually created and assigned for specific scenarios where a timekeeper needs to bill a unique amount for a particular client or matter.
Use Case: Suppose an attorney usually bills at $350/hour, but for a long-time client, they agree to a discounted rate of $300/hour. That $300 rate is set as a non-standard rate for that client or matter only.
How It Works: These rates are created individually via the user’s settings under My Rates, and are tied directly to the user and matter.
Flexibility: High— can adjust rates per individual and less scalable as firms grow or need to make broad updates.
Rate Group
A Rate Group is a predefined set of billing rates applied across users and matters. It enables centralized and scalable rate management—particularly valuable for firms with many attorneys, clients, or different rate types.
Use Case: A firm might create Rate Groups such as "2024 Standard," "Corporate Discount," or "IP Law Premium" and assign them to matters depending on the client or practice area.
How It Works: Once a Rate Group is assigned to a matter, all user rates in that group override any previously set rates. Rate Groups are managed centrally in the firm’s settings, not per matter, making updates much easier.
Advantages:
Bulk updates for annual rate adjustments
Simplified onboarding for new users (just add to group)
Standardization across similar client or matter types
Limitation: If you need highly customized rates on a single matter that doesn’t fit any Rate Group, you’d revert to “Custom Rates” instead
When to Use
Interested in our beta release for Rate Groups and have a LeanLaw Pro plan? Contact our Support and Success team at support@myleanlaw.com to learn more.