Solicitor charging but talking lots about her personal life etc

[TitaniumTess]

Hi, I've just got a solicitor bill where the solicitor has charged me for a number of emails (some her proposing a new appointment location due to her being in an awards ceremony) and also a half hour chat where we didn't really make much progress but she did tell me about her views on reception staff, parenting, balancing motherhood and work etc etc. She also mentioned what the neighbours were doing as she was working from home. At £300/hr, I feel ripped off. How sensible is challenging the bill as I feel that even that email will be charged! Tricky!

It is tricky since work telephone conversations with clients who are friends can often go this way. Are you sure she’s charged you for that though? I had a similar situation once but I hadn’t charged the client for a fairly long chat we had about something non work related, it was just that they hadn’t taken into account the fact that after every work conversation we have to write up a detailed attendance note and then diarise dates etc.

if it was an in person meeting then I’d expect you to be charged for the time she was with you plus travel, plus time back at the office writing up an attendance note.