The latest episode of Legal Off The Leash is out. And this time, we are giving the billable hour the ol' heave-ho!   In episode 8, we’re talking to Elani Maas—practice manager of Bromfield Family Law and co-director of Recalibrate, a value pricing consultancy helping law firms make the move away from the billable hour. Known as a value pricing whisperer and law firm transformer, Elani has dedicated her career to helping law firms ditch the billable hour and embrace a model that works better for clients, lawyers, and businesses.   From her early days managing accounts to spearheading full-scale value pricing transformations, Elani has seen first-hand the cultural, financial, and human costs of billing by the hour. She shares how value pricing flips client relationships on their head, why lawyers resist change, and why a future beyond the billable hour isn’t just possible—it’s already here.     Key Themes In This Episode   The Core Problem: Why every frustration in law traces back to the billable hour. Clients Want Certainty: Most clients expect fixed pricing everywhere else—why should law be different?Litigation Isn’t an Excuse: Value pricing works in family and civil litigation just as well as commercial law.Changing Culture: From silos and six-minute units to collaboration, trust, and real outcomes.Mental Health Matters: How value pricing supports healthier, more fulfilling careers for lawyers.     Memorable Quotes   “Clients aren't coming to lawyers to buy their attention in six minute increments. They're coming to lawyers for outcomes and solutions and support.” “We think value pricing is somehow revolutionary in the legal profession, but to the consumer, it’s just the norm.”   “That's exactly how I would expect to engage with a professional: I want to know the price upfront; and, if you can give me some different options, even better. I certainly would not be engaging anybody on an hourly rate.” “I absolutely do believe value pricing is better for lawyers. Abolishing the six minute increment allows space for people to redesign what their firm actually looks like.”   “90% of the complaints made to the Australian governing body are about fees and it's because clients don't know how much it is until the end.” “I want upfront fixed pricing to become the norm in the legal profession.”     Important Insights & Actionable Takeaways   Project management beats time recording: Value pricing scopes work in stages, making it flexible, transparent, and client-focused. Resistance is about unlearning: Lawyers’ risk-aversion and habit-forming culture slow adoption, but new generations are more open.Client relationships improve instantly: Fixed fees eliminate awkward billing conversations, replacing them with trust and clarity.Wellbeing shift: Without timesheets as the default measure of performance, firms can celebrate broader contributions and reduce burnout.Change is being led by small law: Agile firms are proving the model works, while larger firms lag behind.   With artificial intelligence primed to cut lawyer workloads by around 50%, pricing on time has no future, so this is an episode you can't afford to ignore.   You can connect with Elani and learn more about Recalibrate Legal Operations here: https://recalibratelegalops.com.au/