For solo attorneys
Hourly time and filing fees billed without a second spreadsheet
A solo practice is one person doing the legal work and the billing. Time gets written down at the end of the day, costs advanced for a client sit on a credit card statement, and invoices go out late because the work always comes first. The billing has to take minutes, not an evening.
The billing problems solo attorneys actually have
Billable time is reconstructed from memory at the end of the week.
Record time against the client as you work, from the web or the phone apps, and bill the unbilled entries onto the next invoice in one step.
Filing fees and courier costs paid for a client are never billed back.
Record each cost as an expense for the client, and it waits as unbilled until it goes on their invoice.
Clients pay by check weeks after the invoice.
Each invoice has a payment page for card or bank transfer, and automatic reminders follow on the days you choose.
A worked invoice
Sample work, priced the way this work is usually priced. The total is computed with the same function the console bills with.
| Line | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review and mark up supplier agreement | 3.4 | $275.00 | $935.00 |
| Call with client re: indemnity terms | 0.6 | $275.00 | $165.00 |
| Secretary of State filing fee (advanced) | 1 | $50.00 | $50.00 |
| Total | $1,150.00 | ||
Sample figures. Time in tenths of an hour; the filing fee was recorded as an expense and billed at cost.
Questions
Can I bill time in tenths of an hour?
Yes. A time line’s quantity is held to a thousandth of an hour, so 0.1, 0.25 and 3.4 hours all bill exactly.
Can I show each time entry on the invoice?
Yes. Unbilled time billed onto an invoice becomes its lines, each with its own description and hours.
Can I write off a small balance a client will never pay?
Yes. The rest of an invoice can be written off, and the invoice keeps a record of it.
Send your next invoice with BillingMart
Start free, send your first invoice, and see it paid by card or bank transfer.