Professional Billable Hours Invoice

What a good one includes

• Clear identification of the attorney or paralegal name, firm contact details, and the client's specific legal matter number.
• An itemized table detailing the date of service, the professional who performed the work, the precise hours billed in tenths of an hour, and the hourly rate.
• Descriptive, clear narrative entries for each task that explain the value of the work without violating attorney-client privilege.
• A separate section for client-reimbursed expenses and disbursements, such as court filing fees, courier services, or deposition transcripts.
• A trust account summary detailing the starting balance, the amount drawn for the current invoice, and the remaining retainer balance.
• Explicit payment instructions, including accepted payment methods, due dates, and trust account replenishment guidelines if the retainer falls below the required threshold.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Grouping multiple distinct tasks into a single time entry, known as block billing, which invites client skepticism and violates corporate billing guidelines.
• Using vague descriptions like 'research' or 'file review' instead of specifying the exact legal issue researched or document reviewed.
• Failing to clearly distinguish between earned fees drawn from a trust account and operating account payments, risking ethical violations.
• Calculating time in quarters or halves of an hour instead of the industry-standard six-minute increments, which can artificially inflate bills and erode trust.

Frequently asked questions