702 MARILYN’S GENEROUS PROFIT-SHARING MOTIVATIONAL AWARDS PROGRAM

Content below this line is information for staff.

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MARILYN’S GENEROUS PROFIT-SHARING MOTIVATIONAL AWARDS PROGRAM
Awards are not Pay nor Entitlements but rewards for individual contributions from Staff Members who are team players exerting a cooperative effort to keep this office profitable and a good, peaceful, and efficient place to work. Only Staff Members that are diligent, cooperative, and get along well with others may receive Awards.

Monthly Motivational Awards for Associate Lawyers:

(L1)  $50 gift certificates go to Lawyers with ≥ 50% Icon Conversion (3 mo running average).
(L2)  Gift certificates go to Lawyers based on their individual % collections (3 mo running ave): $25 ≥ 95%; $50 ≥ 97.5%; $75 ≥ 98.75%.
(L3)  $200 gift certificate goes to Lawyers billing ≥ 95 Hours in prior month.
(L4)^  $50 gift certificate goes to Lawyer having made and recorded in ML the most bona fide Collection Attempts in prior month, but it takes at least (2) or more Bona Fide Type 1 Collection Attempts and (4) or more Type 1 and Type 2 Collection Attempts in Award month to qualify. For details, see Collection Attempts.
(L5)   $50 gift certificate goes to any Lawyer delegating ≥ $15,000 to Paralegals in prior month.
(L6)   $50 gift certificate goes to any Lawyer in prior month having Hours Worked, Column F ≥ 80%.
(L7)   An additional $100 gift certificate goes to any Lawyer who in the prior month achieved any (3) of the (4) performance levels below or; $150 gift certificate goes to any Lawyer who in the prior month achieved all (4) performance levels below:
     1.   3-month Icon Conversion ≥ 50%; and
     2.   3-month % Collections ≥ 98.75%; and
     3.   Prior month Billed Hours ≥ 110; and
     4.   Prior month Hours Worked, Column F ≥ 80%.
These are called the “Three Bells Award” or “Four Bells Award” respectively.

The spirit of these Gift Certificates is to enhance the joys of living and therefore should normally be used for excesses at places for fun, travel, relaxation, long weekend expenses, nice restaurants, activities, hobbies, and experiences all of which is for the gravy part of life that enhances pleasures and fun.  Gift Certificates should not cover normal bills and living expenses and should not be to places like grocery stores, pharmacies, or hardware stores.  Credits may be accumulated to spend on large expenditures such as airline tickets, vacations, or a huge TV.

   ^ L4 and P3 are competitive contests between co-workers; when 2-way ties occur, the award is shared 50/50.

Yearly Motivational Awards for Legal Staff:
Y1 – Y3 below are only for Legal Staff who have also billed > 1,140 hours for the prior 12 month period.
(Y1)  At end of November, $500 cash paid for all Lawyers with 12 MO running % Collections > 98.75%.
(Y2)  At end of November $500 cash paid to the TOP Lawyer hour Biller last 12 months.
(Y3)  At end of November $500 cash paid to the TOP Paralegal hour Biller last 12 months.

Yearly Motivational Awards for Staff:
(Y4)  At end of November, $500 cash paid to the Staffer with the most bona fide Net Quests last 12 months (but 24 is Min to qualify). Ties share the award.
(Y5)  At mid-January $500 cash paid for Staffer who was paid the most money for Referrals in the prior calendar year (but $1,000 is minimum to qualify). Ties share the award.

Monthly Motivational Awards for Business Staff:
(B1)   Gift certificates go to Business Staffers based on the higher of their Individual % collections or Group % Collections (3 mo running ave): $50 > 95%; $100 > 97.5%; $150 > 98.75%.
(B2)  $50 gift certificates go to Business Staffers who have been judged by Marilyn for being great at:  (1) showing that her allegiance to Marilyn comes before her personal beliefs and before her loyalty to fellow workers, (2) office peacekeeping, (3) office morale-boosting, (4) following Office Manual protocols, (5) not adding to office drama, and (6) supporting the Legal Staff in exemplary fashion.
(B3)  $50 gift certificates go to each Business Staffer if Group % Icon Conversions (3 MO running Ave) >50%.

Monthly Motivational Awards for Net Quests:
(NQ)  $50 gift certificates go to each person that
has (2) or more Net Quests (networking events) with mandatory fields entered into Modelaw.  Net Quest Instructions

One-time Awards:
(OT1) Employee Finder Fees – employees who bring new employees to the firm are rewarded extra gross pay: $1,000 for each new employee after three months of continuous employment by the new employee.
A.  If a new employee hires onto this firm because of a direct relationship with an employee, the Referral is credited to that employee.
B.  If a new employee hires onto this firm primarily because of a third party referral where that third party is a current employee’s friend, relative or professional relationship, the referral is usually credited to the current employee – especially if this office would not have gotten the new employee if the current employee were working elsewhere
C.  Sometimes a new employee is found for many reasons which may not count as a referral from a current employee.

(OT2) New Client Finder Fees – By making this award huge (up to $1,000) but closely qualified, it is fairly easy to administer and hopefully effective in motivating and rewarding loyalty and effort with reasonable accuracy and consistency.
A.  If a new client hires this firm because of a direct relationship with an Associate, the Referral is credited to that Associate.
B.  If a new client is hiring this firm primarily because of a third party referral where that third party is an Associate’s friend, relative or professional relationship, the referral is usually credited to that Associate – especially if this office would not have gotten the Client if the Associate were working elsewhere (subject to item “D” and “G” below).
C.  If a new client asks for a specific Associate for the Icon and to be his assigned Lawyer, the referral is usually credited to that Associate (subject to item “D” and “G” below).
D.  Returning Clients and referrals from current or from former Clients even if those current or former Clients came in as a referral from an Associate do not count as referrals from an Associate.  This is because the award is huge and creates a “bought and paid for” Client.  If this award were $50 or even $100, an Associate may rightfully feel such a token award was inadequate.  The award size was selected as comparable to the cost of advertising for new Clients and a Client from advertising is “bought and paid for” by the business that “owns” the Client and does not have to pay for referrals from that Client. Likewise, the business should not have to pay for referrals from Clients “bought and paid for” from Associates.
E.  Sometimes a client decides to hire this firm for many reasons which may not count as a referral from an Associate.
F.  The benefit of any doubt should generally go to the Associate and it is important that Associates understand and agree with outcomes.
G.  If a Client is referred by a past employee even if to a particular Associate, that does not count as a referral from an Associate. The same logic in “D” above applies:  namely the business should not have to pay for referrals from Clients or past employees who were “bought and paid for” by the business.
For each above-qualified referral, after a New Client spends more than $1,000 on Lawyer and Paralegal fees, Associates are awarded a calculated amount of additional gross pay (up to $1,000): 20% of what the New Client spends on Lawyer and Paralegal fees will be added equally to the gross paychecks during the next one or more 6 month pay periods starting 1/1 and/or 7/1. Example: if an Associate brings in a New Client in March 2021 who spends $3,000 accumulated total on Lawyer and Paralegal fees by 6/30/21, then she gets $600 added to gross pay from 7/1/21 – 12/31/21. And then if that client spends $1,500 accumulated total on Lawyer and Paralegal fees from 7/1/21 – 12/31/21, then she gets an additional $300 added to gross pay from 1/1/22 – 6/30/22. And then if that client spends $500 or more accumulated total on Lawyer and Paralegal fees from 1/1/22 – 6/30/22, then she gets an additional $100 added to gross pay from 7/1/22 – 12/31/22 for a total maximum of $1,000. 
The burden of proof of qualifying rests with the Associate; therefore, ML records need to be kept and a reminder delivered to Chantel, Marilyn, and Ray with a request for payment (step 5 below). Net Questing will increase the number of referrals you bring in.  Use good record-keeping to make it clear that you “own” a referral –
1.  You may have made a Net Quest entry in ML and under “Message To:”, “Message From:” and/or “Notes, you explained briefly your relationship with this person, what his case is about, where you met, where you talked, etc.
2.  Some of this same info should be added to this person’s Client Form at the bottom as a New Note (select Note Type as “Client from”).
3.  Client Form, “Client Sources” field should show your name and the relationship with that client under “Referral from known person” in addition to any 3rd party who may have actually been the referring person that knew you or of you (e.g. “John Doe, Michelle’s friend”, or Michelle’s husband’s coworker”, etc.).
4.  Client Intake form, page 3, should list your name if appropriate as the person referring to the new client.
5. Copy and paste the following email to Chantel, Marilyn, and Ray with the referred client’s name inserted:
         “I am requesting consideration for a new Client referral award for a recent personal referral, _____________ . If approved, I understand I will get any Finder’s Fee spread over my next 6 month’s pay period or periods (1/1 – 6/30 or 7/1 – 12/31).”
6.  Associates should insure such Finder’s Fee is included in your next pay calculations when submitted to you for review. (Sorry but there is no automatic full proof system for this.)

If it becomes known that an Icon made an appointment because of a direct relationship with an Associate, the appointment should be with that Associate if practicable.

If it becomes known that an Icon made an appointment because of a referral from a client or former client, the appointment should be with that client or former client’s assigned Associate if practicable.

The Business Staff questions each Icon as to who referred him.  If the answers are not specific for whatever reasons, the Staff can only go so far in trying to link a referral to an Associate.

(OT3) 10 Years of Employment Appreciation and Crime Spree Award –
Chantel started 9/7/04 and was the first employee to qualify for this award. Mollie started 1/09/07 and was next. Julie started 1/24/11 and is next; then Michelle who started 4/9/12.
The award is $5,000 toward any legally hedonistic fun such as vacations, trips, out of town hotels, food, travel, etc. The idea is to reward Ten Years of faithful exemplary service in a way that creates a lifetime fond memory from an unforgettably extraordinary fun experience. No material things unless it is outlandishly expensive and self-serving – perhaps a new wardrobe, diamonds, or an expensive watch might be approved but would need justified over an experience. No bill paying. No investments. Plans are somewhat negotiable but need approval from Marilyn and then no substitutions. All $5,000 must be spent within a 30 day period. Start thinking and dreaming.

Upon termination, regardless of which party initiates it, Awards pending or not yet pending cease immediately and will not be awarded to Employee.