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General Billing Guidelines

GENERAL BILLING GUIDELINES

Each activity must be described adequately so that a person unfamiliar with the case may determine what activity is being performed. Adequate descriptions include the identity of the material or documents reviewed, including the scope and purpose of the review along with the volume and complexity of documents reviewed, the number of cases researched and/or analyzed, and the specific part of any motion or documents drafted.

NOTE: To help prevent invoice reductions please observe the general rules below that apply to all clients:

  • All travel expenses require itemized receipts
  • Entries over .4 may be reduced due to reasonableness of time
  • Brief / Vague descriptions will be reduced/deducted
  • Docket review will be deducted as overhead
  • Conflict Check / Conflict Search will be deducted as overhead
  • Extensive research requires client authorization (please include name of claim handler)
  • Deliveries – require client authorization (please include name of claim handler)
  • Online research requires authorization (both time and expense) (please include name of claim handler)

Entries including secretarial and clerical work may be reduced:


  • Receipt and distribution of mail
  • Opening/closing a file
  • File organization
  • Conflict checking
  • Scheduling/Calendaring
  • Proof reading
  • Communicating with Court personnel
  • Copying,
  • Posting
  • Scanning
  • Redacting
  • Loading documents into case management systems (i.e. Summation)
  • Creating chronologies, timelines, etc.
    • Ordering court reporter/translator
    • Inserting into/retrieving documents from file
    • Processing authorizations
    • Bates stamping
    • Creating folders/notebooks/binders
    • Assembling materials
    • Scheduling/confirming depositions, meetings
    • Picking up/delivering
    • Time billed to travel to and copy documents at courthouse
    • another law firm, or other offsite location
    • Processing vendor bills
    • Collating
    • Enclosure/transmittal letter


Adequate Description Examples

  • 1. Telephone Conferences
    • Acceptable
      • “Conference with plaintiff’s counsel concerning settlement.”
    • Unacceptable  
      • “Conference” “Telephone calls to counsel” “Call re status”
      • 2. Correspondence
        • Acceptable
          • “Letter to plaintiff’s counsel regarding outstanding discovery.”
          • “Review correspondence from claims representative providing Defendant’s statement.”
    • Unacceptable
      • “Draft letter to defendant.”  “Review correspondence.”
      • 3. Preparation of Pleadings
        • Acceptable
          • “Prepare memorandum of law in support of motion for summary judgment on statute of limitations as to negligence claim.”
    • Unacceptable
      • “File motion.”  “Work on …”
      • 4. Legal Research
      • Acceptable
        • “Research regarding the appropriate trigger theory as discussed with and approved by Claims Professional Andrew Jones.”
        • Unacceptable
          • “Legal Research.”
          • 5. Discovery
            • Acceptable
              • “Receipt and review discovery requests from plaintiff’s counsel.”
              • “Review plaintiff’s medical records in preparation of deposition.”
    • Unacceptable
      • “Reviewing discovery.”  “Review medical records.” “Attend depositions.”
      • “Prepare for deposition.”
      • 6. Court Appearances
        • Acceptable
          • “Conference with judge regarding scheduling order.”
          • “Attend summary judgment hearing.”  “Conference with judge”
    • Unacceptable
      • “Conference with court”

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