Accurate time tracking is the foundation of a profitable law firm. Yet, many firms lose thousands—if not millions—of dollars each year due to untracked or underreported billable time. Poor timekeeping habits, delayed entries, and inefficient processes can eat away at revenue without anyone noticing. As a law office manager, you can help attorneys and staff develop better time tracking habits to ensure every billable minute is accounted for.
Here’s how to improve timekeeping practices and maximize revenue.
1. Establish a Culture of Real-Time Timekeeping
One of the biggest reasons firms lose billable hours is because attorneys and staff log time after the fact. Relying on memory often leads to underreporting, missed entries, or vague descriptions that clients may dispute. Encourage:
- Real-time time tracking – Log time as tasks are completed instead of trying to reconstruct the day later.
- A “record it or lose it” mindset – Attorneys should treat time entry like an essential part of their workflow, not an afterthought.
- Time tracking training – Make sure everyone understands the importance of accurate tracking and how much revenue is lost through bad habits.
2. Use Technology to Streamline Time Entry
Modern time tracking software can make recording billable hours easier and more precise. If your firm isn’t already using one, consider implementing a system with features like:
- Automated timers – Allow attorneys to start and stop timers for different tasks to capture time down to the minute.
- Mobile accessibility – Enable time tracking from anywhere, so billable work outside the office doesn’t go unrecorded.
- Integration with case management software – Sync time entries with case files to ensure accuracy.
3. Create Clear and Consistent Billing Descriptions
Clients are more likely to pay invoices without dispute when they clearly understand what they’re being billed for. Standardizing time entry descriptions can:
- Reduce confusion and pushback – Avoid vague entries like “meeting” or “legal research” by specifying purpose and outcomes.
- Ensure compliance with billing guidelines – Many clients have strict requirements for invoice descriptions, especially corporate and insurance clients.
- Help attorneys remember their work – Detailed entries make it easier to justify time spent if a client has questions later.
Encourage attorneys to include specifics, such as:
❌ “Drafted motion” → ✅ “Drafted and revised motion for summary judgment on breach of contract claim”
❌ “Client call” → ✅ “Phone call with Client X regarding case strategy and settlement options”
4. Track All Billable and Non-Billable Time
Even non-billable work should be tracked. Why?
- Identifies time-wasting tasks – If too much time is spent on administrative work, it may be worth hiring additional support staff.
- Improves productivity insights – Attorneys can better allocate their time when they see where non-billable hours are going.
- Ensures proper billing allocation – Some tasks may be recoverable under different fee structures, even if initially considered non-billable.
Encourage attorneys and staff to log all work, then review time entries to see where efficiency can be improved.
5. Set Daily or Weekly Time Entry Deadlines
Waiting until the end of the month to enter time leads to inaccuracies and revenue loss. Instead, enforce a firm-wide policy requiring:
- Same-day time entries – The best practice is to log time at the moment or at least by the end of the workday.
- Weekly reviews – Attorneys should review and finalize their time entries weekly to catch any missing hours before invoicing.
- Firm-wide accountability – Use reporting tools to track compliance and remind attorneys of missing time.
6. Minimize Time Leakage Through Better Work Habits
Time leakage—when billable work goes unrecorded—happens more often than most firms realize. Attorneys can reduce leakage by:
- Blocking out dedicated billing time – Set aside 10-15 minutes each day to review and log time entries.
- Avoiding distractions – Billable work is often interrupted by emails, admin tasks, or internal meetings. Encourage better time management to minimize wasted minutes.
- Tracking small increments of time – Even a five-minute client call adds up. If 10 five-minute calls go unbilled per week, that’s 40+ hours lost per year.
7. Review and Audit Time Entries Regularly
Routine audits help catch inconsistencies, ensure compliance, and identify areas for improvement. As a law office manager, you can:
- Run monthly reports – Identify trends in missing or inconsistent time entries.
- Flag common issues – Look for patterns like excessive rounding, vague descriptions, or unbilled client interactions.
- Provide coaching – Work with attorneys who consistently underreport time to help them improve their habits.