Forbes: Piecework

February 14, 1993 – Forbes examines alternatives to hourly billing as clients question rising legal costs, citing Zoe Baird’s ABA remarks and research showing legal-services revenues compounding 12% annually since 1977. The article profiles Bickel & Brewer’s flat-fee engagements with case-specific performance bonuses—praised by Bellcore general counsel Michael Grove for budgeting—and contrasts them with bill-review services like Legalgard; chairman John Marquess, after auditing about 2 million bills, argues flat fees “must allow for a giant margin” and rejects bonuses. Forbes also cites Professor William Ross’s survey finding 60% of attorneys reported knowledge of bill padding and 20% viewed recycling prior research as billable, and notes concerns that hourly billing discourages productivity-enhancing technology.

“Hourly billing pushes economic incentives in the wrong direction -- weakening rather than strengthening the bonds between performance and pay.” — Forbes

“A lawyer’s work ought to be valued according to its contribution to the bottom line.” — William A. Brewer III

American Demographics: Marketing the Verdict

January 31, 1993 – American Demographics reports that trial lawyers increasingly apply market research tools—focus groups, surveys, and mock juries—to test case themes, showing that juror demographics, values, and phrasing can sway how evidence is perceived. The article highlights Behavioral Science Research’s PercepTrac system, which records minute-by-minute reactions from mock jurors and, according to its developer, predicts verdicts about 80% of the time; in a Florida road-widening condemnation dispute, avoiding the term “a taking” and using plain language improved the municipality’s position. It notes Bickel & Brewer’s in-house mock courtrooms and cites scholars Valerie Hans, Neil Vidmar, and Theodore Eisenberg, who say these methods are most useful in close, polarizing cases with heterogeneous juries and less useful when the evidence is strong.

“You want to use those tools most effectively so people will hear the facts and remember them.” — William A. Brewer III, American Demographics

Corporate Legal Times: Bickel & Brewer Bets Its Future on Flat Fees; Firm’s Structure Reflects Its Philosophy

March 31, 1992 — Dallas-based Bickel & Brewer is phasing out hourly billing in favor of flat fee arrangements for corporate and commercial litigation. Founding partners John W. Bickel II and William A. Brewer III explained that the firm structures fees around client litigation history and projected outcomes, with performance-based premiums if results exceed expectations. Brewer emphasized that the model rewards efficiency and outcomes rather than hours, calling traditional billing a "spectacular inefficiency." To support this approach, the firm employs a 15-member Litigation Consulting Group of non-legal professionals, including accountants, MBAs, and engineers, to handle early phases of litigation at lower cost. The firm’s client roster includes Paine Webber, Motorola, ITT Consumer Financial Corp., Fruit of the Loom, and the Dallas Cowboys.

"It’s been win-win for everybody who’s tried it," says William A. Brewer III. "…General counsel doesn’t have to stand around analyzing bills, trying to figure out who spent one/fifth of an hour too long composing a letter. 

Texas Lawyer: Texas Stadium Corp., et al. v. The City of Irving

January 26, 1992 — Dallas firm Bickel & Brewer secured a settlement permitting the sale of beer and wine at Texas Stadium, ending a 20-year ban under an Irving liquor-control ordinance. Representing Texas Stadium Corp. and licensee Corral Services Inc., the firm challenged the ordinance’s constitutionality in a March 29 suit. The settlement led to an August 10 referendum, where Irving voters approved exempting the stadium from the ordinance, followed by legislative action confirming the exemption. Judge Bill Rhea of the 162nd District Court dismissed the suit on August 30 after the plaintiffs agreed to drop their challenge.

Texas Lawyer: Courtrooms in the Office

October 20, 1991 — A growing number of Texas law firms are investing in in-house courtrooms for trial preparation, witness training, and mock jury exercises. Firms including Bickel & Brewer, Gardere & Wynne, Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins, and Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue have constructed facilities ranging from $100,000 to nearly $1 million, often doubling as conference or training centers. Proponents emphasize the psychological benefits of realistic courtroom settings, particularly for witnesses and mock jurors, while designers note the significant costs and space demands. Several firms are also considering similar projects as part of new office expansions.

Texas Lawyer: Zealous, But Not Overly So

September 8, 1991 — In a letter to the editor, a Texas Lawyer reader responded to an August 19, 1991, commentary by John W. Bickel II and William A. Brewer III regarding the Northern District of Texas’s professionalism creed. The letter disputes Bickel and Brewer’s claim that terms such as “courtesy,” “civility,” and “obnoxious behavior” lack clear definition, arguing that lawyers should already understand these concepts without judicial guidance. The writer further distinguishes between “zealous” and “zealot,” contending that attorneys can represent clients with passion while remaining civil and courteous.

Computerworld: Lawyers Take Imaging to the Limit

September 9, 1990 — Bickel & Brewer has become the first U.S. law firm to install a multi-site computer imaging system linking its offices in New York, Dallas, and Chicago. The firm deployed the Wang Integrated Image System on a Wang VS 5000 midrange computer, supported by AT&T Integrated Services Digital Network lines, to streamline research, filing, and retrieval functions. The system allows documents to be accessed firmwide and even transported to courtrooms and client offices. Firm representatives estimate the technology could save clients $100,000 to $200,000 annually in storage costs.

Newsweek: And They Both Speak With Forked Tongue

March 25, 1990 - Dallas law firm Bickel & Brewer announced it would underwrite the adoption of all snakes at the Dallas Zoo, inviting the public to “readopt” and rename them after lawyers. The firm aims to raise $60,000 through the effort, with proceeds supporting a conservation project to protect New Zealand’s endangered tuatara reptile. Bickel & Brewer’s involvement revives the zoo’s lagging Adopt an Animal program, which had seen little interest in snakes compared to more popular species.