Industry Playbook: Law Firm Client Portal & Time Tracking (Matters, Budgets, DSO)

Law firms lose an average of 10-15% of billable hours to poor time tracking. That's not a rounding error—for a small firm billing $800,000 annually, that's $80,000-120,000 in lost revenue every year.

Add to that the typical 90-120 day DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) for legal services, and you have a cash flow problem that strains even profitable practices.

The solution isn't working more hours or chasing clients harder—it's implementing proper matter management, rigorous time tracking, and client portal transparency that makes billing clear and payment frictionless.

This industry playbook provides law firm-specific workflows for managing matters as projects, tracking billable time with precision, monitoring matter budgets, and using client portals to reduce DSO while improving client relationships.

Why Law Firms Have Unique Management Needs

The Matter-Based Structure

Unlike project-based businesses, law firms organize work around "matters":

Matter Characteristics:

• Client-specific: Each matter belongs to one client
• Time-intensive: Billed primarily by time, not deliverables
• Budget-constrained: Many matters have fixed budgets or caps
• Compliance-heavy: Detailed records required for ethics and billing disputes
• Multi-attorney: Complex matters involve multiple attorneys at different rates
• Long-running: Matters can span months or years

Traditional Management Challenge: Most project management tools assume:

• Fixed deliverables
• Set timelines
• Flat rate pricing
• Single responsible party

Legal matters don't work this way.

The Billing Complexity

Law Firm Billing Requirements:

Time Increments:

• Most jurisdictions: 6-minute increments (0.1 hour minimum)
• Precise tracking: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 minutes (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 hours)
• Rounding rules: Typically round up to nearest increment

Multiple Billing Rates:

• Partner: $500-800/hour
• Senior Associate: $350-500/hour
• Junior Associate: $250-350/hour
• Paralegal: $150-200/hour
• Clerk: $75-125/hour

Detailed Task Descriptions: Billing entries must include:

• What work was performed
• Which matter it relates to
• Date and duration
• Responsible attorney
• Often: Task code (research, drafting, client call, etc.)

Expense Tracking:

• Court filing fees
• Document production costs
• Expert witness fees
• Travel expenses
• Research database charges

The Client Transparency Problem

Client Billing Disputes Often Stem From:

• Unclear billing descriptions ("Research: 3.5 hours" - research on what?)
• Perceived inefficiency (Why did brief take 15 hours?)
• Surprise invoices (client didn't know time was accumulating)
• Vague progress updates (Is my matter progressing?)

Solution: Transparent client portal showing real-time time tracking and matter progress.

Setting Up Matter-Based Projects

Matter Structure in Practice Management

Each Matter = One Project

Example Matter Setup:

Matter: Smith v. Johnson - Personal Injury
Client: Robert Smith
Matter Type: Personal Injury Litigation
Lead Attorney: Sarah Thompson
Budget: $25,000 (estimated)
Fee Structure: Contingency (33%) + expenses
Status: Active
Opened: 2024-08-15

Project Configuration:

Project Name: Smith v. Johnson - PI
Client: Robert Smith (from CRM)
Budget: $25,000
Team Members:
  - Sarah Thompson (Partner) - $600/hour
  - Mike Chen (Associate) - $350/hour
  - Jennifer Patel (Paralegal) - $175/hour

Matter Stages as Kanban Columns

Legal Matter Workflow:

Column 1: Intake & Evaluation
Column 2: Discovery
Column 3: Motions & Hearings
Column 4: Settlement Negotiations
Column 5: Trial Preparation
Column 6: Trial
Column 7: Post-Trial / Appeals
Column 8: Matter Closed

Tasks Within Each Stage:

Discovery Stage Example:

Tasks:
- Draft interrogatories
- Review opposing party's discovery
- Prepare client for deposition
- Review deposition transcripts
- Document production review
- Expert witness identification

Each task tracks:

• Assigned attorney/paralegal
• Time estimate
• Actual time tracked
• Status and completion

Matter Types and Templates

Create Templates for Common Matter Types:

Personal Injury Template:

Standard Columns:
- Initial Consultation
- Case Investigation
- Demand Letter
- Litigation
- Settlement/Trial
- Matter Closed

Standard Tasks:
- Client intake meeting
- Medical records review
- Expert consultation
- Demand letter drafting
- Discovery process
- Settlement negotiation

Corporate M&A Template:

Standard Columns:
- Due Diligence
- Document Drafting
- Negotiation
- Regulatory Approval
- Closing
- Post-Closing

Standard Tasks:
- NDA preparation
- LOI drafting
- Due diligence review
- Purchase agreement drafting
- Disclosure schedules
- Closing coordination

Real Estate Transaction Template:

Standard Columns:
- Contract Review
- Title Search
- Inspections
- Financing
- Closing Prep
- Closing
- Post-Closing

Standard Tasks:
- Purchase agreement review
- Title examination
- Survey review
- Loan document review
- Closing statement preparation
- Title insurance coordination

Implementing Precise Time Tracking

6-Minute Increment Tracking

Why 6-Minute Increments:

• 0.1 hour = 6 minutes
• Legal billing standard
• Required for ethics compliance in many jurisdictions
• Prevents overbilling concerns

Desktop App Configuration:

Settings → Time Tracking → Increment: 6 minutes
Rounding: Round up to nearest 0.1 hour
Minimum billable: 0.1 hour (6 minutes)

Practical Examples:

Actual Time    Rounded To    Billed As
-----------------------------------------
3 minutes      6 minutes     0.1 hours
8 minutes      12 minutes    0.2 hours
14 minutes     18 minutes    0.3 hours
22 minutes     24 minutes    0.4 hours

Time Entry Best Practices for Attorneys

Real-Time Tracking:

9:00 AM - Client call about discovery
  Start timer: Matter [Smith v. Johnson]
  Task: Client communication
  9:14 AM - Call ends (14 minutes)
  Stop timer
  Rounds to: 0.3 hours (18 minutes)
  Note: "Discussed deposition preparation and timeline concerns"

Contemporaneous Notes: Document work as it happens:

Good: "Researched Statev. Jones precedent applicability to summary judgment motion (0.8 hours)"

Bad: "Legal research (0.8 hours)"

Task Codes for Billing:

RESEARCH - Legal research and case law
DRAFT - Document drafting and revisions
REVIEW - Document/evidence review
CALL - Client communications
COURT - Court appearances
DEPO - Depositions
CONF - Conference with opposing counsel
ADMIN - Administrative (non-billable unless agreed)
TRAVEL - Travel time (billable at 50-100% depending on agreement)

Multiple Attorney Rates on Same Matter

Scenario: Partner, associate, and paralegal all working on Smith v. Johnson matter.

Time Tracking Setup:

Matter Budget: $25,000

Team Members:
- Sarah (Partner): $600/hour
- Mike (Associate): $350/hour
- Jennifer (Paralegal): $175/hour

Budget Allocation:
- Partner: 15 hours = $9,000
- Associate: 30 hours = $10,500
- Paralegal: 25 hours = $4,375
- Expenses: $1,125
= Total: $25,000

Tracking: Each person tracks time with their assigned rate. System automatically calculates total cost against budget.

Capturing Every Billable Minute

Common Lost Time:

Brief Email Responses (3-5 minutes each):

Client email: "Can we postpone deposition?"
Attorney response (4 minutes)

Without tracking: $0
With tracking: 0.1 hour = $60 (at $600/hour)

10 emails/day × $60 = $600/day lost without tracking

Quick Phone Calls:

Opposing counsel calls (7 minute call)
Without tracking: Lost
With tracking: 0.2 hours = $120

Document Review Between Meetings:

15-minute contract review while waiting for call
Without tracking: Lost
With tracking: 0.3 hours = $180

Annual Impact: If each attorney loses 30 minutes daily to untracked time:

• 0.5 hours × 250 days = 125 hours/year
• At $400/hour average = $50,000 lost per attorney
• 5-attorney firm = $250,000 annual revenue leak

Client Portal for Law Firms

What Clients See in the Portal

Portal Dashboard:

MATTER: Smith v. Johnson - Personal Injury

Status: Discovery Phase (65% complete)
Budget: $25,000 (68% utilized - $17,000 spent)
Time This Month: 12.5 hours ($4,850)

Recent Activity:
✓ Deposition transcript reviewed (11/28)
✓ Expert witness consultation (11/27)
⏱ Motion to compel drafting (in progress)

Upcoming:
📅 Pre-trial conference (Dec 15)
📅 Discovery deadline (Dec 20)

Time Report Access:

TIME REPORT - November 2024

Date       Attorney    Task Description                    Hours    Amount
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11/01      S.Thompson  Initial case review                 2.3      $1,380
11/03      M.Chen      Research: comparable settlements    1.5      $525
11/05      J.Patel     Medical records organization        3.2      $560
11/08      S.Thompson  Client meeting - case strategy      1.8      $1,080
11/12      M.Chen      Draft interrogatories               4.5      $1,575
11/15      J.Patel     Discovery response review           2.7      $473
11/20      S.Thompson  Deposition preparation              3.5      $2,100
...

Total November: 45.8 hours                                          $15,840
Remaining Budget: $9,160

Benefits:

• No surprise bills: Client sees time accumulating in real-time
• Budget awareness: Client knows remaining budget
• Progress visibility: Understands work being performed
• Trust building: Transparency improves attorney-client relationship

Portal Access Control

What Clients Can See: ✅ Their matters (projects) only ✅ Time tracking on their matters ✅ Invoices and payment status ✅ Matter documents you choose to share ✅ Task progress (if you enable) ✅ Communication history

What Clients Cannot See: ❌ Other clients' matters ❌ Internal strategy notes (mark as private) ❌ Attorney work product (protect privilege) ❌ Time entries marked "internal only" ❌ Team discussions and planning

Privilege Protection:

Settings → Client Portal → Configure:
- Show time descriptions: YES (for transparency)
- Show internal notes: NO (preserve privilege)
- Show research details: OPTIONAL (customize per matter)
- Show screenshots: NO (attorney work product)

Client Communication Through Portal

Direct Matter Communication:

Client Portal → Matter → Messages

Client: "Can we schedule a call to discuss the motion?"

Attorney: "Absolutely. I have availability Thursday 2-4 PM.
Here's my calendar link: [booking link]

In the meantime, I've uploaded the draft motion for your review.
It's in the Documents section."

Benefits:

• All communication tied to specific matter
• Searchable history
• No lost emails
• Professional record keeping
• Client can access anytime

Matter Budget Management

Setting Up Matter Budgets

Fixed-Fee Matters:

Matter: LLC Formation
Client: Startup XYZ
Fee Structure: Fixed $5,000
Budget: 20 hours (at $250/hour blended rate)

Time Tracking Goal: Stay under 20 hours
If exceeding: Either eat costs or request additional fee

Capped Fee Matters:

Matter: Contract Negotiation
Client: Acme Corp
Fee Structure: Hourly not to exceed $15,000
Budget: 37.5 hours (at $400/hour)

Alerts:
- 50% utilized (18.75 hours): Warning
- 75% utilized (28.13 hours): Alert attorney
- 90% utilized (33.75 hours): Alert and discuss with client

Contingency with Expense Budget:

Matter: Auto Accident Litigation
Client: Jane Doe
Fee Structure: 33% contingency + expenses
Expense Budget: $10,000

Track:
- Time (for internal utilization, not client billing)
- Expenses (for client reimbursement)

Monitor expense budget closely - this IS billed to client

Budget Monitoring and Alerts

Automated Budget Alerts:

Budget: $20,000
Current: $15,000 (75% utilized)

Alert to lead attorney:
"Matter [Smith v. Johnson] has reached 75% of budget ($15,000 of $20,000).

Current pace: $5,000/month
Remaining budget: $5,000
Estimated depletion: 1 month

Action options:
1. Accelerate matter resolution
2. Discuss budget increase with client
3. Optimize task delegation (more paralegal, less partner)
4. Review scope for reduction"

Dashboard View:

MATTER BUDGET DASHBOARD

Matter                          Budget      Used       Remaining    Status
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Smith v. Johnson               $25,000    $17,000     $8,000      ⚠️ 68%
Corporate M&A - TechCo         $50,000    $12,000    $38,000      ✅ 24%
Estate Planning - Williams      $3,000     $2,850       $150      🔴 95%
Contract Review - Acme          $5,000     $1,200     $3,800      ✅ 24%

Matters at risk (>80% budget): 1
Matters on track: 3

Optimizing for Budget

Task Delegation Strategy:

Task: Document Review (50-page contract)

Option A: Partner reviews everything
- 8 hours × $600 = $4,800

Option B: Paralegal initial review, attorney final
- Paralegal: 12 hours × $175 = $2,100
- Attorney: 3 hours × $600 = $1,800
- Total: $3,900
- Savings: $900 (19%)

Option C: Associate handles, partner reviews
- Associate: 6 hours × $350 = $2,100
- Partner: 1 hour × $600 = $600
- Total: $2,700
- Savings: $2,100 (44%)

Best Practice: Use most junior attorney capable of handling task competently.

Reducing DSO Through Transparency

Why Legal Bills Get Paid Late

Common Reasons for Delayed Payment:

1. Client surprise: "I didn't know it would be this much"
2. Unclear billing: "What is 'legal research' for 15 hours?"
3. Lack of context: "Why did the brief take so long?"
4. Budget concerns: "This is more than we discussed"
5. Payment friction: Check writing, mailing, processing time

The Client Portal Solution

Transparency Reduces Disputes:

Without Portal:

Month 1: Attorney tracks time (client unaware)
Month 2: More time accumulates (client unaware)
Month 3: Invoice sent for $18,500
Client: "What?! I had no idea it was this much!"
Client: Disputes bill, requests breakdown
Attorney: Provides detailed records
Client: Still concerned, delays payment
Payment: 60-90 days from invoice

With Portal:

Week 1: Client sees 8.5 hours tracked ($3,400)
Week 2: Client sees 6.2 hours tracked ($2,480)
Week 3: Client sees 11.5 hours tracked ($4,600)
Month end: Client expects ~$10,500 invoice

Invoice sent: $10,480 (as expected)
Client: No surprise, has seen time accumulate
Client: Reviewed descriptions throughout month
Payment: 15-30 days from invoice

DSO Improvement:

• Industry average: 90-120 days
• With transparency: 30-45 days
• Cash flow improvement: 60-75 days faster

Making Invoices Undisputable

Detailed Billing Entries:

Bad Billing Entry:

11/15  Legal Research  3.5 hours  $2,100

Good Billing Entry:

11/15  Research case law regarding joint and several 
       liability in multi-defendant personal injury cases;
       review State v. Anderson, Williams v. County, and
       Smith precedents for motion to dismiss arguments
       3.5 hours  $2,100

Client Can See:

• Exactly what work was performed
• Why it was necessary for their matter
• How much time it actually took
• Which attorney performed it

Result: Virtually impossible to dispute detailed, contemporaneous entries.

Online Payment Options

Portal Payment Features:

Invoice #2024-11-127
Amount Due: $10,480
Due Date: December 15

Payment Options:
💳 Credit Card (Stripe) - Pay now
🏦 ACH Bank Transfer - 1-2 business days  
₿ Cryptocurrency - BTC/ETH/USDT
📄 Check - Mail payment

Pay Now button →

Payment Speed by Method:

Check by mail:       7-14 days (avg: 10 days)
ACH transfer:        1-3 days (avg: 2 days)
Credit card:         Instant (1 day to settle)
Cryptocurrency:      Instant (< 2 hours)

Portal payment average: 3 days
Traditional billing average: 45 days
Improvement: 93% faster payment

Legal-Specific Billing Scenarios

Scenario 1: Litigation Matter with Budget Cap

Matter Details:

• Client: Tech Startup in IP dispute
• Matter: Patent Infringement Defense
• Budget: $75,000 cap
• Expected duration: 9 months

Monthly Budget Tracking:

Month 1 (Pleadings):
- Partner: 12 hours × $700 = $8,400
- Associate: 25 hours × $400 = $10,000
- Paralegal: 15 hours × $150 = $2,250
- Filing fees: $850
Total: $21,500 (29% of budget)

Month 2 (Initial Discovery):
- Partner: 8 hours × $700 = $5,600
- Associate: 35 hours × $400 = $14,000
- Paralegal: 28 hours × $150 = $4,200
- Document production: $1,200
Total: $25,000 (cumulative: 62% of budget)

Alert: Budget 62% utilized after 2 months with 7 months remaining
Action: Discuss with client - likely need budget increase

Client Portal Shows:

• Real-time budget utilization (62%)
• Detailed time by attorney
• Projected budget depletion date
• Option to increase budget or adjust scope

Result:

• Early conversation about budget
• No surprise at month 6 when budget depleted
• Client makes informed decisions
• Relationship preserved

Scenario 2: Multiple Matters for Single Client

Corporate Client with 4 Active Matters:

Client: BigCorp Industries

Matter 1: Employment Contract Review
- Budget: $3,500
- Status: 45% utilized
- Timeline: On track

Matter 2: Lease Negotiation
- Budget: $8,000
- Status: 78% utilized
- Timeline: Near completion

Matter 3: Regulatory Compliance Audit
- Budget: $15,000
- Status: 32% utilized
- Timeline: Just started

Matter 4: Trademark Application
- Budget: $4,500
- Status: 90% utilized
- Timeline: ⚠️ Over budget risk

Client Portal Dashboard:

ALL MATTERS - BigCorp Industries

Total Active Matters: 4
Combined Budget: $31,000
Combined Utilized: $18,960 (61%)
This Month Time: 32.5 hours ($12,850)

Matter requiring attention:
⚠️ Trademark Application (90% budget, still pending)

Benefits:

• Client sees all matters in one place
• Can prioritize which matters to continue
• Understands total legal spend
• Makes informed budget decisions

Scenario 3: Contingency Fee with Expense Tracking

Matter Details:

Matter: Class Action - Employment Discrimination
Fee Structure: 33% contingency (no hourly billing to client)
Expense Budget: $50,000 (client reimburses)
Expected Timeline: 18-24 months

What to Track:

Time (Internal Use Only): Track all attorney time for:

• Internal profitability analysis
• Matter cost assessment
• Resource allocation decisions
• Partner compensation calculations

But DON'T bill time to client (contingency arrangement).

Expenses (Bill to Client):

Expert Witness Fees:          $15,000
Court Reporters:              $8,500
Document Production:          $6,200
Travel (depositions):         $4,800
Filing Fees:                  $2,100
Research Services (Westlaw):  $3,400
-----------------------------------------
Total Expenses:               $40,000
Remaining Budget:             $10,000

Client Portal Shows:

• Expense tracking (NOT attorney time)
• Matter progress updates
• Settlement negotiations status
• Projected recovery amount
• Expense reimbursement when settled

Improving Collections and DSO

DSO Calculation for Law Firms

Days Sales Outstanding Formula:

DSO = (Accounts Receivable / Total Revenue) × Days in Period

Example:

Accounts Receivable: $150,000
Monthly Revenue: $90,000
Days: 30

DSO = ($150,000 / $90,000) × 30 = 50 days

Industry Benchmarks:

• Small firms (<10 attorneys): 75-120 days
• Mid-size firms (10-50): 60-90 days
• Large firms (50+): 45-75 days

Target: <60 days DSO

Strategies to Reduce DSO

Strategy 1: Real-Time Portal Access

Implementation: Give every client portal access showing:

• Time accumulating (weekly)
• Current matter balance
• Progress toward completion
• Budget utilization

Impact:

• Clients prepared for invoice amounts
• No surprise bills
• DSO reduction: 15-30 days

Strategy 2: Interim Billing

Instead of: Month 1-3: Accumulate time Month 4: Send $45,000 invoice Client: Shocked, delays payment

Do This:

Month 1: Invoice $12,000 (pay by day 30)
Month 2: Invoice $15,000 (pay by day 30)
Month 3: Invoice $18,000 (pay by day 30)

Benefits:

• Smaller, more manageable invoices
• Regular cash flow
• Easier for clients to budget
• DSO reduction: 20-40 days

Strategy 3: Online Payment Options

Portal Payment:

• Credit card payment (instant)
• ACH transfer (1-2 days)
• Crypto payment (for tech clients, <2 hours)

vs. Traditional:

• Wait for check to arrive (5-7 days)
• Wait for check to clear (3-5 days)
• Total delay: 8-12 days

DSO Improvement: 8-12 days from payment method alone

Strategy 4: Automated Payment Reminders

Reminder Sequence:

Invoice Date: December 1
Due Date: December 31

Day 20 (Dec 21): "Friendly reminder, due in 10 days"
Day 31 (Jan 1): "Payment due today - pay online for fastest processing"
Day 38 (Jan 8): "Invoice overdue - please pay or contact us"
Day 45 (Jan 15): "Second notice - please respond"

Impact:

• Reduces "forgot to pay" delays
• Professional persistence without awkward calls
• DSO reduction: 10-15 days

Strategy 5: Payment Plans for Large Bills

For $50,000+ invoices:

Total: $50,000
Payment Plan:
- Payment 1: $20,000 (upon invoice)
- Payment 2: $15,000 (30 days)
- Payment 3: $15,000 (60 days)

Benefits:

• More manageable for clients
• Some cash flow immediately
• Better than waiting 90+ days for full payment
• Reduces collection issues

Example Law Firm Dashboards

Partner Dashboard

PARTNER DASHBOARD - Sarah Thompson

This Month:
Billable Hours: 142.5 (target: 150)
Billable Amount: $85,500
Utilization: 71% (target: 75%)
Matters: 12 active

Top Matters by Time:
1. Patent Litigation - TechCo (42.5 hrs)
2. M&A - StartupXYZ (28.3 hrs)
3. Employment Dispute - ClientA (19.7 hrs)

Budget Alerts:
⚠️ Estate Planning - Williams (92% budget used)
⚠️ Contract Review - Acme (88% budget used)

Unbilled Time: $12,500 (ready to invoice)
Outstanding AR: $45,000 (avg age: 38 days)

Firm Administrator Dashboard

FIRM FINANCIAL DASHBOARD

Monthly Performance:
Total Billable Hours: 580 hours
Total Billed: $275,000
Average Rate: $474/hour
Utilization: 73% (target: 75%)

By Practice Area:
Litigation:        245 hours ($142,000)
Corporate:         180 hours ($85,000)
Real Estate:       85 hours ($32,000)
Estate Planning:   70 hours ($16,000)

Collections:
Current AR: $485,000
30-60 days: $180,000 (37%)
60-90 days: $125,000 (26%)
90+ days: $85,000 (17%) ⚠️

DSO: 63 days (target: <60)

Action Items:
- Follow up on 90+ day invoices
- Consider payment plans for large balances
- Review and improve portal adoption (currently 58%)

Client Success Dashboard

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP HEALTH

Client: BigCorp Industries

Relationship Metrics:
Matters: 4 active, 12 completed
Total Value: $285,000 (lifetime)
Current AR: $28,500
Avg DSO: 42 days ✅
Portal Usage: High (login 3x/week)

Satisfaction Indicators:
✅ Pays promptly
✅ Refers other clients  
✅ Engages with portal
✅ Provides positive feedback
⚠️ Recent budget concern on Matter #4

Opportunities:
- Additional matter types to cross-sell
- Consider volume discount for multi-matter client
- Explore retainer arrangement for ongoing needs

Implementation Roadmap for Law Firms

Month 1: Foundation Setup

Week 1: System Configuration

• Set up firm account
• Add attorneys and staff
• Configure billing rates by attorney
• Set time tracking to 6-minute increments
• Create matter types and templates

Week 2: First Matter Pilot

• Select 2-3 matters for pilot
• Create projects for each matter
• Set budgets and billing arrangements
• Train attorneys on time tracking
• Start tracking time

Week 3: Client Portal Pilot

• Enable client portal for pilot matters
• Invite clients to portal
• Configure what clients can see
• Train clients on portal use
• Gather feedback

Week 4: Refinement

• Review time tracking compliance
• Adjust workflows based on feedback
• Refine portal settings
• Document best practices

Month 2: Firm-Wide Rollout

Week 5-6: All Active Matters

• Create projects for all active matters
• Import historical time data (if possible)
• Set budgets for all matters
• Train all attorneys on system

Week 7-8: Client Portal Expansion

• Invite all clients to portal
• Provide client training materials
• Monitor portal adoption
• Address client questions

Month 3: Optimization

Week 9-10: Process Refinement

• Review time tracking compliance (target: >95%)
• Analyze budget vs. actual on completed matters
• Optimize matter templates
• Improve billing descriptions

Week 11-12: Financial Analysis

• Calculate DSO pre/post implementation
• Measure portal payment speed
• Identify revenue previously lost to poor tracking
• Document ROI

Best Practices for Legal Time Tracking

Do's

✅ Track Time Contemporaneously Track immediately when work is performed, not end of day/week.

✅ Use Detailed Descriptions

Good: "Reviewed defendant's motion to dismiss; researched State v. precedents on standing issue; drafted preliminary response outline focusing on jurisdictional arguments (3.5 hours)"

Bad: "Legal research and drafting (3.5 hours)"

✅ Track Everything Billable

• Brief emails (6 minutes = 0.1 hour)
• Quick phone calls (12 minutes = 0.2 hour)
• Document review between meetings
• Travel time (if billable per agreement)

✅ Separate Billable from Non-Billable

Billable: Client communication, research, drafting, court time
Non-Billable: Billing admin, CLE, firm meetings, business development

✅ Use Task Codes Consistently Standard codes across all matters for reporting and analysis.

Don'ts

❌ Don't Track at End of Day Memory fails. You'll underestimate and lose billable time.

❌ Don't Use Vague Descriptions "Worked on case" doesn't justify bill and invites disputes.

❌ Don't Batch Unrelated Tasks

Bad: "Emails and calls (2.5 hours)"
Good: Separate entry for each billable communication

❌ Don't Forget to Track Every 6 minutes untracked = lost revenue.

❌ Don't Share Privileged Work Product Configure portal carefully to preserve attorney-client privilege.

Conclusion: Modern Law Firm Management

Law firm management hasn't fundamentally changed in decades—until now. The combination of matter-based project management, rigorous time tracking, and client portal transparency transforms legal practice in three ways:

1. Revenue Recovery Capturing previously lost time adds 10-15% revenue without working more hours. For $800k firm, that's $80,000-120,000 annually.

2. Cash Flow Improvement Portal transparency and online payments reduce DSO from 90-120 days to 30-45 days. That's 60-75 days improved cash flow.

3. Client Relationship Enhancement Transparency builds trust. Clients understand what they're paying for, see work progressing, and have fewer billing disputes.

The Numbers:

For a 5-attorney firm billing $1.2M annually:

• Revenue recovery (10%): +$120,000/year
• DSO improvement: 60 days faster cash flow
• Reduced collections: -$15,000/year in collection costs
• Total benefit: $135,000+/year

Implementation effort:

• Setup: 20-30 hours over 3 months
• Training: 10-15 hours
• Total investment: ~$3,000 in time

ROI: 4,400%

Ready to Modernize Your Law Firm?

Start your free trial of Corcava and get everything your law firm needs for matter management, time tracking, and client transparency.

With Corcava for Law Firms, you get:

• Matter Management with projects organized by client
• Precise Time Tracking with 6-minute increments
• Multi-Rate Billing for partners, associates, paralegals
• Budget Monitoring with alerts for matter budget caps
• Client Portal showing time, progress, and invoices
• Detailed Billing with task-level descriptions
• Online Payment via credit card, ACH, or crypto
• DSO Tracking with collections analytics
• Expense Tracking for cost recovery
• Professional Reports for clients and firm management

All for $9 per user per month. Purpose-built for legal billing workflows.

Start Free Trial → Set Up Matters → Track Time → Reduce DSO

No credit card required. 14-day free trial. Legal industry configuration included.

Law firm losing billable hours or struggling with 90+ day DSO? Implement matter management and client portals today to recover revenue and accelerate payments.