Including disbursements in law firms’ fee rates (FMC Technologies)

At ACCA’s 2001 Annual Meeting, the General Counsel of FMC Technologies (Jeffrey Carr) explained that his company asked law firms to include their internal costs (presumably phone calls, faxes, copies, messengers, legal research) in their rates. A few costs, such as out-of-state travel and court reporter fees, are exempt from this requirement. See also his article in the ACCA Docket, Jan. 2001.) (See my post of April 18, 2005 estimating 10% of invoices are for disbursements.)