Well before the first partner meeting, clue your marketing staff in on the meanings of the terms they'll hear in the meeting. Explain how gross fees are calculated and what they mean. A simple definition is that gross fees equal total chargeable hours multiplied by standard billing rates. Go into the details of what gross fees do and don't show. Explain just how the firm calculates gross fees and what the partners find most important about these figures.
Many firms show only net fees on their income statements.
However, if your firm shows net fees as only the first line on the financial statement, it is likely your marketing director will not know how much is being written down from standard unless you tell her or him. Discuss the importance of your firm's profit margin, but also explain why it can be very misleading and why it alone is not enough to reveal the firm's profitability. Describe what happens to your firm's profit margin when the firm adds new partners, for example. To get your marketing professionals' input in making better sense of the firm's numbers, explain the limitations of the profit margin. For example, it Doesn't reveal which divisions of your firm have problems.