The Billable Hour Isn't Dead — But Alternative Fee Arrangements Are Finally Forcing Firms to Modernize Their Accounting in 2026

Kirkland's half-billion-dollar AI bet and a wave of alternative fee arrangements are reshaping how firms charge — and exposing accounting systems that can only handle hourly billing. Here's why fee-model diversity, not the death of the billable hour, is the real 2026 story for law firm finance.