Interview with Mark Brengelman: A Legal Professional's Perspective on LawPay

“LawPay supports me by making it easy to bill clients and simple for them to pay securely and safely online.” - Mark Brengelman, Attorney and LawPay Customer

In Frankfurt, Kentucky, Mark Brengelman's private law practice stands as a beacon of dedication and professionalism. With a decade of experience under his belt, this former state government attorney caters to healthcare practitioners, families, and government agencies, providing personalized and comprehensive legal services. Mark's unique perspective, informed by his work for and against state agencies, enables him to offer clients reassurance and a well-rounded approach.

Like many legal professionals today, Mark faces the challenge of balancing a heavy workload with the constant demands of staying current on legal trends, technology, and client needs. Remaining competitive in a digital world necessitates investment in new software and hardware, ongoing training, and staying current on ethical guidelines. Additionally, meeting client expectations for personalized attention and prompt responses requires a careful allocation of resources and staff. In this delicate balancing act, attorneys often struggle to juggle billable work, administrative tasks, continuing education, and engagement with the broader legal community.

Enter LawPay, a powerful solution designed to help legal professionals streamline operations, foster strong client relationships, and reduce the hassles associated with the legal payment process. We recently chatted with Mark to understand how LawPay is helping him boost his profitability, increase productivity, and ultimately, make time for what matters most to him.

LawPay (LP): Welcome, Mark! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us about your work as a legal professional and how LawPay benefits your practice. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Mark Brengelman (MB): Thank you for having me. I am an attorney in private practice in Frankfurt, Kentucky, and I've been practicing law for 30 years now. I retired from state government after a 20-year career and have been in private practice for 10 years. My practice focuses on helping healthcare practitioners, parents, and children in juvenile court cases, and government agencies navigate the law and ethics.

LP: Can you tell us about your decision to start your own firm and how your experience in state government has informed your private practice?

MB: As I mentioned, I left the state government after 20 years of service to start my own firm and help clients directly. I wanted to use my experience to further their goals and defend individuals before agencies. My work in state government involved figuring out whether someone did something wrong, and I now use that experience to help defend clients and advocate for their best interests.

LP: What sets your law practice apart from others in the field?

MB: A unique aspect of my practice is that I handle all aspects of a case from start to finish. I have experience working for state agencies, prosecuting and defending licensure cases, which puts me in a unique position to cover all the bases and achieve favorable results for my clients.

LP: That sounds like very rewarding work. Can you share a memorable anecdote from your time in the field?

MB: Sure! I worked with the Kentucky Board of Dentistry for 15 years and remember telling the dentists on the board that we needed each other to work together. Just as they knew little about the law and due process, I knew little about performing a root canal. I've also represented some very young clients in juvenile court, including a two-day-old infant.

LP: Your approach to your practice is obviously very focused on building trust with your clients. How do you maintain personal relationships with them despite having a statewide practice?

MB: When a potential client contacts me, I understand they may be experiencing fear, uncertainty, and doubt. I walk them through the process step-by-step to help them grasp their legal rights and obligations. I assure them that with my experience and background, I can help navigate the process and get the best possible result. Although I have a statewide practice, I maintain communication with my clients through extensive phone calls and email, meeting in person when necessary.

LP: It's great to see your dedication to your clients! We’d love to hear how you balance running your business and building a quality client experience. How has LawPay made it easier for you to get paid and maintain good client relationships?

MB: I started using LawPay back in 2014, and it has completely changed the way we do business—for the better. LawPay provides an easy and secure way for clients to make payments, which is especially beneficial for my clients who are scattered throughout the commonwealth of Kentucky.

LP: Can you share any specific experiences that demonstrate the convenience of using LawPay?

MB: Before LawPay, I had to send paper invoices through the mail, which took several days to reach the client and then several more for their payment to reach me. With LawPay, I can create an itemized invoice that is transmitted electronically to the client. LawPay even allows for a QR code to be included in the invoice, which is helpful for individuals who prefer a paper invoice. They can simply scan the QR code, which links them directly to my LawPay account for a smooth payment process. This has significantly reduced the time it takes to receive payments.

Here’s a good story for you—I once emailed a doctor an invoice with a link to pay through LawPay. As soon as I closed the file drawer on the client's case, I received a notification that the doctor had already paid the invoice. This level of efficiency and speed would not have been possible without LawPay.

LP: Getting paid faster is never a bad thing! We love to hear stories like that. Can you tell us more about how LawPay has helped you manage your trust and operating accounts?

MB: LawPay makes it easy to separate client funds into trust and operating accounts, ensuring that I comply with bar association requirements. Before LawPay, managing these separate accounts was more cumbersome and required using a credit card terminal and processor that was expensive and inconvenient. LawPay's online payment portal has significantly simplified this aspect of my practice.

LP: What about customer support? Have you ever needed assistance from LawPay?

MB: Although LawPay is generally seamless to use, there have been a few instances where I needed help. The support team at LawPay has always been quick and efficient in providing assistance, whether it's through chat or a toll-free telephone call. I've never had any issues with my invoicing or billing process being held up.

LP: Are there any additional features or services that you appreciate from LawPay?

MB: Yes, LawPay offers free continuing legal education (CLE) webinars that I find useful and enjoy taking. It's helpful for practitioners like me to get focused legal advice and continuing education in the areas of practice that we need.

LP: Thank you, Mark, for sharing your experience and insights on how LawPay has benefited your practice. Any final thoughts you'd like to share with other legal professionals considering LawPay?

MB: LawPay has truly made a difference in my practice by streamlining the invoicing and payment process. It's a cost-effective, secure, and efficient way to manage client payments, and I highly recommend it to other legal professionals. LawPay helps me put my clients first and allows me to focus on providing excellent service.

To learn more about LawPay and how it can benefit your practice, visit lawpay.com to schedule a personalized demo of our services.