Bill4Time Staff

It can be difficult to improve law firm productivity when so many lawyers and legal professionals are often overwhelmed and struggle to manage their day-to-day. While they’re certainly busy, sometimes bad habits can get in the way of effective task management and can hinder real work from being accomplished.

This isn’t limited to legal professionals – people in all industries can fall victim to low productivity. The modern world is filled with distractions that impede goals and time management, such as smartphones and social media.

Productivity is about working smarter, not harder to make the most of each workday. Take a look at the common ways lawyers and legal professionals hold themselves back from being productive and tips to improve law firm productivity.

1. Lack of Planning

For many, the biggest obstacle to law firm productivity is poor, or nonexistent, planning. Lawyers have to juggle a lot of tasks, clients, and appointments, so the best way to make sure everything gets done is with detailed planning.

Lawyers should map out the entire week and mark any appointments, scheduled calls, research periods, client meetings, or other time-bound tasks. That leaves space to plan other tasks throughout the day, such as unexpected calls, paperwork, time tracking, and more. While it’s expected that tasks may pop up, proper planning offers a time cushion to deal with them without derailing other projects.

How time is scheduled is up to the individual, but having realistic allotted time to complete each task helps people avoid procrastination, get important tasks accomplished, and plan out the most urgent parts of the to-do list.

2. Time and Task Management Issues

After using timekeeping software, lawyers often notice that a lot of time is wasted doing unrelated tasks or procrastinating. Things get put off, leading to a rush to get everything done. In many cases, the tasks that get shuffled are the ones people don’t want to do, such as sending out cold emails or scheduling appointments.

The best way to tackle time and task management is by starting the day off with your less desirable tasks. It’s human nature to complete the easiest tasks first, then leave the most difficult work for later. When this happens, the difficult work may never get done.

Furthermore, willpower decreases over the course of the day, which means people are even less inclined to do that dreaded work they’ve been putting off. Lawyers and legal professionals should prioritize the tasks that are tedious or unpleasant and get them out of the way, making the rest of the day a breeze to complete.

3. Too Many Distractions

Phones and emails are important for client communication, but they can hamper productivity easily. When a phone notification goes off or the inbox registers new emails in the middle of a project, it can distract people from the task at hand. Even if talking to a colleague takes a few minutes, that can add up if they continue to “pop in.” If this happens enough, a significant portion of the day can be lost to juggling multiple tasks.

The best solution is a scheduled time to address phone and email communications. The rest of the time, notifications can be silent. During the scheduled communication period, lawyers should respond to phone calls, emails, and messages immediately, both for professionalism and time management. Then, the rest of the time can be focused on the next task on the list.

And most importantly, social media should be silenced. Responding to one comment on social media can lead to checking other pages and wasting an hour scrolling through a newsfeed or reading articles. Most firms have designated social media professionals, but if not, time to engage with followers can be scheduled like everything else.

4. Poor Prioritization of Tasks

To-do lists are a great tool, but only if they’re used properly. For many lawyers, a to-do list can transform into a long line of tasks to complete in an unrealistic time frame. Lawyers become overwhelmed, and little gets accomplished.

Your to-do list should always begin with critical tasks – the tasks that must be done on that day. From there, the tasks should be less and less important. This way, if unexpected tasks interrupt and take priority, the remaining to-do list doesn’t throw off the whole schedule or lead to a negative outcome.

At the end of the day, lawyers should look at the agenda for the following day and prepare for the tasks ahead. Planning began early in the week, so a lot could change by Wednesday or Thursday. Looking at the next day’s tasks allows lawyers to plan ahead, and reprioritize as needed.

5. Not Using the Right Legal Software

In many ways, the legal industry is an old-school, traditional industry. Lawyers and legal professionals rely on time-consuming, outdated processes like manual time tracking, paper billing, and hard copies of client files. Many lawyers learn from other lawyers, which means they may not be on board with the benefits of using law firm productivity tools like legal software.

Legal software can provide a lot of help for time management and task management for lawyers. Features like time tracking, document automation, client management, and mobile access allow lawyers to automate routine processes and access mission-critical information at any time, from anywhere with an internet connection.

With these administrative tasks covered, lawyers can focus on the important tasks that only they can perform, such as client consultations, case research, and partner meetings. The result is not only to improve law firm productivity but more accurate documentation for both the firm and the client.

Improve Law Firm Productivity with Bill4Time

The right legal software can go a long way in boosting productivity in a law firm. Bill4Time offers an affordable, efficient, and intuitive legal practice management solution with features designed specifically for law firms, such as document management, case management, billing and invoicing, and time tracking. With Bill4Time, lawyers can practice more and manage less with efficient, automated processes designed with law firms’ needs in mind.

Legal professionals are always up against the clock – there’s always more that can be done in a day, but not enough time to do it all. As a result, many lawyers just put in the time instead of finding more efficient methods, like digital time tracking. The most common challenges law firms face are time wasted on administrative tasks, new client acquisition, cost control, and expense growth. Many of these challenges can be corrected with modern legal technology. As an industry that bills by the hour, these inefficiencies can mean significant revenue loss.

Lawyers do a lot of work on computers, so adopting modern technology practices only makes sense. Time-tracking software can run in the background to properly track time and improve law firm processes.

Here are the 6 advantages of digital time tracking for lawyers.

1. Tracking Potential Lost Revenue

Automated timekeeping tools take a lot of the error, stress, and time out of the tracking process. These solutions can track both billable and non-billable hours, so lawyers can see where they’re losing valuable time on unrelated tasks that impede the workflow.

Data is important for improving law firms as a business. For example, a lawyer charging $200 an hour may not bill for an hour of overtime, which is $200 a day lost. Assuming that happens at least once a week, that’s a potential loss of over $10,000 a year! Time tracking can ensure that this time is billed, and paid for, for more accurate revenue.

2. Revealing Inefficiencies

Timekeeping software not only tracks the billable time that isn’t billed, but it reveals what lawyers spend their time doing. Many law firms have lawyers spending time on non-legal business activities, such as marketing, accounting, and administration.

If the digital time tracking shows a lot of time spent on non-billable activities, leading to a loss of revenue, a law firm can outsource those activities. For example, law firms can hire an accountant, administrative assistant, or marketing professional for in-house work, or delegate tasks to contract workers during busy periods.

Many tasks can be automated with technology solutions as well, such as electronic payment processing software for time and billing and bookkeeping services to generate invoices. Ideally, law firms will choose software specifically designed for legal professionals to maintain compliance with rules of professional conduct.

3. Improved Billing Accuracy

Lawyers at both boutique and large law firms typically bill by the hour, but the time spent on client cases doesn’t always consider face-to-face meetings with defined timeframes or scheduled phone calls that run over.

Proper time tracking and billing must include the time spent on tasks like:

• Telephone calls
• Case research
• Emails
• Lead follow up
• Witness interviews
• Trial preparation
• Travel to and from meetings

Without clear and organized time tracking, lawyers may struggle to create accurate timesheets. This not only ensures that lawyers are billing for all their time but offers a detailed invoice for transparency and trust with the client.

4. Mobile Access

Many legal software solutions include mobile apps, which are perfect for on-the-go lawyers. Depending on the nature of a case, a lawyer may be running between the courtroom, the law office, lunch meetings, or the library for research.

On-the-go lawyers struggle more with timekeeping, but legal software solutions offer mobile apps to help with tracking time outside of the firm. Whether in the office or in the field, timekeeping apps track hours accurately and update in real-time in a secure, centralized cloud database.

5. Customizable Reporting

Different law firms face different challenges with efficiency and accuracy, so a one-size-fits-all approach may not work. Time-tracking solutions offer customizable reports to pull data and view it in simple visualizations for managers and team members to interpret.

Managers can view just about any aspect of the firm’s performance, including work-in-progress, outstanding balances, time spent with a specific client, all calculated by user, client, or project.

6. Time-Saving Features 

Legal timekeeping software offers many features to improve efficiency and workflow, such as:

Automated timers that allow users to start and stop time, rather than tracking it manually. Meetings run over and people forget to stop the clock, so having an automated system ensures that the tracking is as accurate as possible. Some systems also allow tracking multiple tasks, so users can easily stop tracking time for one task and toggle to another quickly and easily.

Voice commands that allow users to stop or start timers without needing to be near the computer. Most people speak faster than they type, so having voice commands captures time quickly and easily. Entries can be edited and synced to client management systems as well.

Built-in payment processing is included with Bill4TIme, while many software systems use integrations or costly third parties. If a law firm devotes a lot of time to billing and processing without a dedicated accounting process, having these features makes the processes smoother and more efficient.

Customization features that allow lawyers to create detailed, custom reports and invoices for consistency and continuity. Custom reports offer virtually limitless options for time and billing data, all with custom filters and optional views to get a holistic picture of the firm’s operations.

Make the Switch to Digital Time Tracking

Though many law firms prefer traditional, manual methods of timekeeping, digital time tracking for lawyers offers limitless options for efficiency and accuracy. Implementing timekeeping solutions like Bill4Time, helps law firms identify inefficiencies, choose tasks to outsource, track individual lawyers’ time, and bill clients accurately for better revenue and success.Bill4Time offers legal technology solutions for legal professionals to track time, manage clients, track expenses, and more. Request a demo today to see how digital timekeeping solutions can help!

Marketing campaigns to generate leads are a significant investment for many law firms. In return, they expect their law firm marketing ROI tactics to produce higher client conversions and be worth the investment of time. Unfortunately, some firms lack the lead capture capability to nurture leads, wasting their marketing spend.

For high marketing ROI, a law firm must-have tools and resources in place to effectively capture leads and convert them into clients. Here are 8 tips to boost law firm marketing ROI.

What is ROI?

ROI is a performance measure that evaluates the efficiency and profitability of an investment, such as marketing spend. Usually, ROI is calculated by dividing the benefit of the investment – such as leads generated – by the cost of the investment.

In some cases, ROI can be a complex calculation that considers many investments of time, effort, and money. Realistically, a lot goes into a conversion, such as attracting a new lead or signing a client, but it’s best to focus on the specific and measurable benefits with the costs for a simple ROI result.

1. Set a Standard for Law Firm Marketing ROI

Calculating ROI can be complex, but there are acceptable ranges for what an ROI should be. This provides a standard to measure future efforts against.

Your law firm marketing ROI strategy should try to set a target prior to the marketing spend, then see if the campaign reflects that target. If expectations and ROI don’t match, it’s time to reevaluate the ROI calculation, the marketing efforts, the intake process, or all three.

2. Find the Right ROI Calculation Method

Law firms should calculate ROI using the following method:

Total the investment:

Investment = Implementation Cost + Cash Cost

Calculate the net annual savings:

Net Annual Savings = Annual Savings – Annual Expenses

Calculate the ROI:

Annual ROI = Net Annual Savings / Investment

This is a standard calculation, but some firms may lack the raw data necessary or have too much uncertainty. In these cases, the marketing ROI can be simplified by creating test groups to remove as many variables as possible. Use “like-for-like” comparisons to see which efforts yield results and which don’t.

3. Hire Intake Specialists

Law firms can be busy places, so it’s possible for new leads to get lost in the shuffle. Receptionists often have long to-do lists and can’t dedicate the time and attention to nurturing leads.

Prospective clients reach out to a law firm and expect a quick response and expert consultations. If that doesn’t happen, they’ll keep searching for a firm that caters to their needs. Intake specialists can ensure each client is given the attention they need in a professional and efficient way, boosting the marketing ROI all around.

4. Provide Immediate Responses

Legal troubles can be stressful, so clients calling a law firm want a live response that eases their concern and gives them peace of mind about the process. When a client calls a law firm and gets a dedicated team to handle their case consultation, they no longer feel the need to shop around for another firm.

Professional legal call centers can give prospective clients a response within 30 seconds, or fewer than three rings. They also offer live outbound calls in response to website inquiries. This response time shows prospective clients that they’re valued, boosting the chances for conversion.

5. Implement After-Hours Support

Marketing campaigns can generate high call volumes, quickly overwhelming a law firm’s team. Worse yet, if calls go to voicemail after hours, the client is likely to continue calling firms until they find one to help.

Law firms should always have a dedicated answering service for after-hours support. These trained professionals can handle the overflow and field calls to nurture leads, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Every prospective client will receive an instant response, no matter the time of day or night.

6. Keep Track of Leads

Lead tracking is likely part of the intake process, but it’s important to follow up and give every prospective client the care and attention they want. Lead tracking helps law firms follow through with leads along each phase of the customer journey, from initial awareness to conversion. The information from lead tracking can also be used to follow up at critical points and set up appointments and consultations.

Lead tracking can reveal flaws in the current intake process as well. Law firms can evaluate the intake process and identify areas for improvement, both for the larger goal and to enhance the client experience.

7. Create Convenient Contract Delivery Methods

The delivery and signing of a contract is a crucial step in converting a lead. Ideally, all qualified leads should be signed on the initial call, or they may seek help at competitors’ firms.

Convenient contract delivery methods solve this problem by sending fee agreements through text, email, or conventional mail to get documents signed quickly. This not only benefits the client and provides a stellar experience, but it increases conversion rates for the firm.

8. Embrace Legal Technology

Many tools are available for law firms to track profitability, manage client relationships, and monitor expenses, such as marketing investments. Legal technology offers powerful tools, such as expense tracking and reporting to keep up with expenses from anywhere, on any device. Legal technology may also feature client management to track and optimize the client relationship for better service and increased efficiency.

Workflow management may be included, which can help with client response protocols, client intake procedures, and lead nurturing. Depending on the features of the legal technology, law firms can take a lot of mystery and time out of the lead generation process.

Boost Law Firm Marketing ROI with Bill4Time

Tracking and measuring marketing ROI for law firms can be tricky, but it’s worth the effort to ensure that marketing campaigns, lead nurturing processes, and client experience are generating revenue.

Using systems and workflows can help law firms achieve positive, repeatable ROI for long-term success. Bill4Time offers legal technology solutions like client management, lead nurturing, and expense tracking, that helps you stay on track and allow you to make informed business decisions about your marketing.

Goal-setting is a key professional skill that all lawyers need to master in order to achieve client satisfaction, career growth, and meaningful life accomplishments. Every lawyer should take the time to identify ways to improve their professional skills and set achievable goals that will help them reach their fullest potential. While there are many goal-setting techniques available, one of the most effective methods is to establish SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based.) Setting SMART goals for lawyers eliminates the guesswork and encourages lawyers to take responsibility for their future in a way that will help them become more effective professionals.

What Are SMART Goals?

The SMART goal system is a widely accepted method of goal setting. By understanding what the acronym stands for, lawyers can develop a process for setting and achieving their goals in record time.

Specific 

In order to achieve success, every lawyer needs to establish specific goals. This means that they must take a moment to identify what they want to accomplish and create a plan for how to make it happen.

For example, if a lawyer wants to build their client base, they need to set more specific goals. Identifying what type of clients the lawyer would like to attract is an important first step. Is the goal related to increasing business from existing clients? If so, which ones?

Measurable

It is important for lawyers to identify what will be measured to determine how well they are doing in pursuit of their goals.

For example, if a lawyer wants to increase referrals from the existing client base, then the lawyer needs to understand that “more” means different things to different clients. By establishing a goal that states that one or two new clients will be referred each month, the lawyer can easily measure whether or not they have been successful.

Achievable 

While it is important to set goals that challenge people, it is also important for lawyers to set goals that are achievable. This means that the lawyer needs to take a realistic look at what they have to offer and who they can attract as clients.

For example, if a client base consists of small businesses and individuals, then the goal of attracting multinational corporations will likely be too difficult for them to achieve.

Relevant    

In order to avoid setting goals that are not actually relevant, lawyers must take a moment to evaluate whether or not the goal is likely to help them become more effective in their profession.

For example, if a lawyer’s big vision for their career includes building a robust clientele of big corporations, it’s not relevant for them to set a goal to go after a certain number of small business clients.

Time-Based

One of the most critical components of setting SMART goals for lawyers is to establish a timeframe in which they should be accomplished. This does not mean that they have to set a specific date by which their goal will be completed, but it does mean that they should identify how much time they will allow themselves to reach the goal.

For example, if a lawyer sets a goal that they will increase their client base by one new client each month, it is important for their timetable to include what happens after the first month (such as making more of an effort to contact those who did not refer business last month and those who referred possible leads).

This way, the lawyer can identify whether or not the goal was achieved and determine how to move forward.

Tips for setting SMART Goals for your law firm

Creating goals based on the SMART system is just half the battle. Putting the method into practice means taking a moment to revisit goals periodically, make necessary adjustments, and establish new ones when the time is right.

Tip #1: Take time to plan

SMART goals drive success. That means that it is important for lawyers to take time to plan what they hope to achieve and develop a strategy for building on previous successes. Don’t rush the SMART setting process, and time-block at least an hour for creating new goals. There is legal technology that allows you to gather data on how much time you spent on matters or areas of improvement to better plan your goals.

Tip #2: Adjust as necessary

While it is important for lawyers to make time to plan, it is also important to take the time necessary to evaluate what is and isn’t working. This means adjusting goals when they no longer feel relevant or productive for where their career is heading or what they want.

Tip #3: Schedule deadlines

Often it is the act of scheduling deadlines that helps lawyers stay on track. Put the timeline that was identified in the SMART system and put it on the calendar. By blocking out specific times to work on the goal, lawyers can help ensure that they stay organized and focused.

Tip #4: Make the goal public

Setting SMART goals is a great way to increase their likelihood of success, and making the goal public is another way to help ensure it comes to fruition. When lawyers share them with others in the industry or even friends and family outside of work, they can further motivate themselves by getting others involved.

Tip #5: Use a reward or punishment system

For some people, setting SMART goals is enough of a challenge. For others, they need to get creative by establishing reward or punishment systems for themselves if they are unable to reach their goal. Whether it means allowing themselves one night off at the end of each month or taking on an additional project if they don’t hit the mark, this type of system can be very effective.

Tip #6: Revisit goals every 3 months

Not all SMART goals will be relevant for a lifetime. In fact, most lawyers will find that their goals will change as they continue to grow in their careers and add new challenges. That’s why it is important to revisit goals every three months. If the goal hasn’t been reached by then, consider if it still has merit or if it is time to set a new one.

SMART goals for lawyers takes consistency

Goal setting is an important task for lawyers and one that allows them to increase their chances of success. The SMART system can make the process more manageable and help lawyers increase their efficiency in the industry. By creating SMART goals, lawyers are setting themselves up for success at every turn.

Task management for lawyers can be difficult. Many lawyers struggle to prioritize and manage their overflowing to-do lists because everything they do feels important—and it is.

Between phone calls, emails, depositions, hearings and meetings there are dozens of tasks clamoring for their attention every day. Juggling multiple clients and pressing deadlines can make it hard to distinguish what needs to be done first. But failing to prioritize time-sensitive tasks can lead to missed deadlines, lost clients, and even malpractice lawsuits.

Organizing urgent tasks is all about time management and task management. By effectively managing time, lawyers can reduce stress, stay on top of their workload, be available to handle the crises that arise, and keep their clients happy.

1. Write it all down
2. Identify long-term goals
3. Give everything a deadline
4. Organize by importance and urgency
5. Prioritize single-tasking
6. Practice time-blocking
7. Plan for fires

Tip #1: Write it all down

Lawyers are responsible for a lot; they need to remember details about their cases, follow up with key witnesses, research legal issues and keep up with court-appointed deadlines. Trying to retain all this information in one’s head is a recipe for disaster.

To ensure that nothing falls through the cracks—and to get a clearer understanding of what needs to be done—write down every task, time commitment, and action item. Whether this list is recorded in a physical notebook or electronically, be sure to include the following for each task:

• The time it will take to complete
• Any deadlines
• Any obstacles that are preventing the task from being completed

Tip #2: Identify long-term goals

While time management is key, it’s also important to keep in mind the reason why lawyers are working so hard.

Running a law firm isn’t simply about maximizing billable hours or raking in revenue, it is about helping clients solve their problems. Lawyers need to maintain perspective on the end goal—a satisfied client—and prioritize tasks that will have the biggest impact on this outcome.

Tasks that may not necessarily produce immediate results can be just as important. Lawyers need to focus time and resources on their long-term goals while keeping a pulse on what’s happening in the present time.

Tip #3: Give everything a deadline

Deadlines are what keep the legal industry moving ahead. While most tasks that fall on a lawyer’s plate will have deadlines associated with them, it is important to indicate time restrictions on everything.

Identifying time limits not only allows lawyers to better manage their time but also helps clients prioritize legal matters and make informed decisions about how to move forward.

Tip #4: Organize by importance and urgency

When it comes to time management and task management, lawyers need to consider both importance and urgency when determining what needs to be done first.

Some tasks might be time-sensitive—like filing research for an upcoming project—whereas others may be more important but not necessarily time-sensitive, like reviewing a client’s correspondence or drafting their will.

In the classic self-help read, The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey gives a process to this concept by recommending people organize tasks based on one of four categories:

• Urgent and important
• Important but not urgent
• Urgent but unimportant
• Neither urgent or important

The urgent and important tasks should be done first, with important but not urgent tasks taking second place. If a task is urgent  but unimportant, it should be delegated to someone else, and neither urgent or important tasks should be  eliminated entirely. 

Tip #5: Prioritize single-tasking

In the age of smartphones and tablets, it is easy to feel like a time management hero while juggling multiple tasks at once. But while trying to multitask may save time in the short run, it can also increase stress levels and decrease productivity.

Focusing on a single task allows lawyers time to concentrate and think through complicated legal matters. Like other professionals, lawyers may find that brainstorming or time away from the office is necessary to come up with solid legal solutions and strategies.

To effectively focus on one task at a time, eliminate other distracting tasks that could interrupt and redirect focus. This includes checking email and social media accounts, returning phone calls and texts, or talking to coworkers.

Tip #6: Practice time-blocking

While the unpredictable nature of law makes it hard to keep a consistent schedule, time-blocking can help establish time limits for working on specific tasks, like checking email, returning phone calls and planning. Identifying certain parts of the day where those tasks are most likely to get done will make it easier to create a schedule one can stick to.

For example, if client requests and demands tend to pop up more during post-lunch hours, a lawyer could set block time off every morning for other important, but non-urgent tasks. By time-blocking time throughout the day to complete tasks, lawyers can find more time to focus on what matters most.

Tip #7: Plan for fires

In the legal world, it’s not uncommon for a day to quickly become consumed with client meetings, phone calls and emails. Because of this, it’s crucial to get the important stuff on the to-do list done first so time isn’t wasted on time-sensitive tasks at the end of the day.

Urgent tasks are frequent for lawyers. So rather than hoping nothing pops up and ruins a well-laid plan, simply plan for things to come up. Get the most important work done before the client calls start rolling in and time is wasted trying to catch up.

When time management is a priority, time can be found in even the busiest schedules. Lawyers just have to know what time management tips work best for them and then start planning accordingly.

How technology can support task management for lawyers requires

When time management and task management is done effectively, lawyers can not only save time for themselves,  but also their clients—which will provide the peace of mind everyone needs during times of  great stress and time crunch.Being time and task-management savvy can be a huge benefit to any lawyer. Adopting automated time tracking practices also helps ensure that time is optimized and isn’t wasted on mundane tasks.. By practicing time-blocking, single-tasking and prioritization strategies, time is maximized, stress is reduced and more cases are won.

While many fresh law school graduates come out with a wealth of skills, administrative skills may not be one of them. Time tracking for first-year associates is typically learned from other lawyers or from internet searches, which may not be the most current or productive methods.

Spreadsheets, quick notes, or tracking your time at the end of the month from memory are not ideal for keeping accurate records. In addition to missing out on time you could bill, you may overbill a client, lose sensitive information, make a detrimental error, cost your firm money, or damage your reputation.

What are billable hours?

Billable hours are time spent working on professional tasks that can be charged to the client for the agreed hourly rate. Lawyers aren’t unique in billable hours – consultants, writers, developers, graphic designers, and other professionals bill by the hour. You need to keep accurate records of how long you spent on each client’s task in order to charge billable hours. If your records aren’t precise and well organized, you could undercharge or overcharge.

How to identify billable and non-billable time

Billable time includes time working on tasks that are directly related to the work for your client. This may vary according to the specifics of the case, but it could include:

• Direct work to complete the project
• Time spent strategizing or planning
• Time spent researching
• Corresponding with the client, whether on the phone, through email, or in person
• Attending meetings

Non-billable time is time that you’re doing work, but not directly for the client. This may include:

• Consulting with new clients
• Developing professional skills
• Social and team-building events or exercises
• Networking events
• Time spent correcting your errors
• Invoicing, processing payments, or other administrative work
• Time spent performing work outside of the scope of your client agreement

Sometimes, determining what’s billable and not can be more complicated. Here’s how you can evaluate if you can charge for your time?

• Was my time used for my own professional needs or the client’s needs?
• Was this work necessary to complete the project?
• Was this task included in the client agreement?
• Was my time spent related to the project or a result of an avoidable mistake on my part?

Tips to accurately track your time for first-year associates

Determine your invoicing schedule

Depending on the requirements of your firm, you may be able to set your own invoicing schedule. Many firms use a monthly billing cycle and bill on the same day each month, but you may be able to set weekly, biweekly, or end-of-project billing cycles.

Use digital tools to track time

Many lawyers are “old-school” and prefer manual time logs, but that’s not the most efficient or accurate way to track your time. Digital time-keeping software and practice management software not only offer time-keeping functions, but cut down on the time you spend manually filling out logs, client details, task details, and invoicing. The software also retains all your important client data in a secure, centralized location, so you can access it quickly and easily, no matter where you are.

Create time logs

Whether you choose a software solution or go manual, you need to create a time log to track your billable hours by the client. With a spreadsheet, this means creating columns for the clients, the tasks, the date, the time spent working – all of which cuts into your free or billable time.

With a cloud-based time tracking solution, you have an efficient time tracking feature with a digital timer and a list of clients. When you start a task, all you have to do is start the timer and it does the work for you.

Include details on your invoice

Time tracking software should make your billable hours easy to track, calculate and report according to the client and the project, which you can access easily. All of this information will go on the invoice, such as:

• Business and contact information, such as the firm name and address, your phone number, and your email address.
• Your client’s contact information
• An itemized list of tasks or services complete within this time frame
• Billable hours for each task or service
• Payment terms
• A deadline for payment
• The total amount due, including any taxes or fees

Including all this information can be tedious and time-consuming. A digital timekeeping solution allows you to customize and generate invoices with detailed billing information quickly and easily. You can also create and edit batch invoices, and clients can review and pay invoices online 24/7.

Manage your non-billable time

It’s common for first-year associates to have goals or targets for the billable hours they want to have. Whether the goal is weekly, monthly, or yearly, if you’re not tracking your time, you may not realize you’re too far behind to catch up until it’s too late.

For example, if you want to reach a goal of 2,000 hours annually, you would need to bill for roughly 40 hours each week, or eight billable hours a day. You may not work exactly eight hours each day, but this breaks down what you should average in a day, week, and month to reach your annual goal.

If you don’t track your time, you tally up your billable hours for the quarter or at six months and realize your goal is now impossible. You didn’t reach your billable hours in the past few months, so now it’s unlikely you’ll have the time or work to reach those 2,000 hours.

Time tracking for first-year associates (and any lawyer) is the best way to make sure you stay on track with your goal. Here are some tips:

• Track all of your billable time, even if it’s just a few minutes on a client call or drafting an email. It adds up.
• Track everything in real time, rather than backtracking and hoping you have the time you started and ended a project correct.
• Record your non-billable time. You won’t make money on it, but you can identify areas where you could be more efficient or tasks that you may be able to outsource.
• Don’t procrastinate! It can be easy to do, especially if you get side-tracked with social media or other distractions. Keep your work time focused and save the idle time for when you’ve reached your billable goal for the day.

Time tracking for first-year associates can be simple

Timekeeping can be challenging for new – and older – lawyers. Without the right foundation, time tracking can be time-consuming and inaccurate, leading to losses in productivity and revenue. Bill4Time’s time tracking solution captures lost revenue by tracking time anywhere, anytime, streamlining invoicing, and keeping accurate project logs.