Free Invoice Template for Lawyer
Legal invoicing requires precision and compliance. Lawyers must track billable hours meticulously, reference case or matter numbers, and often deal with trust account (IOLTA) regulations. Our free legal invoice template includes fields for attorney hours, paralegal hours, case references, filing fees, and disbursements. Law firms bill in various increments — typically 6-minute (0.1 hour) or 15-minute intervals. Your invoice should clearly show the date, timekeeper, activity description, hours, and rate for each entry. Separate professional fees from disbursements (filing fees, courier costs, expert witness fees, travel). Many jurisdictions require specific information on legal invoices for ethical compliance. Include the matter number or case name, billing attorney, and payment terms. For contingency arrangements, document the agreed-upon percentage and what expenses are deducted before or after the contingency calculation.
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Create Lawyer Invoice →Common Line Items for Lawyer Invoices
- ✓ Attorney billable hours
- ✓ Paralegal hours
- ✓ Court filing fees
- ✓ Legal research (Westlaw/Lexis)
- ✓ Expert witness fees
- ✓ Document preparation
Invoicing Tips for Lawyer
- 💡 Bill in 0.1-hour increments
- 💡 Reference case/matter numbers
- 💡 Separate fees from disbursements
- 💡 Comply with state bar billing rules
Frequently Asked Questions
How do lawyers track billable hours on invoices?
Lawyers track time in 6-minute (0.1 hour) or 15-minute increments. Each entry includes the date, activity description, time spent, and billing rate. Our template supports detailed time entries with automatic total calculations.
What's the difference between fees and disbursements?
Fees are charges for legal services (attorney time, paralegal time). Disbursements are out-of-pocket costs advanced on behalf of the client (filing fees, courier, photocopies, expert witnesses). Both should be itemized separately on legal invoices.
What ethical rules apply to legal invoicing?
Most state bars require detailed descriptions of work performed, prohibition of billing for overhead, clear separation of trust funds from earned fees, and timely billing. Check your jurisdiction's rules on fee agreements and billing practices.