Law office desk with a legal invoice, scales of justice, and law books

For law firms & legal professionals

Invoicing and billing tools for legal services

Track billable time, create clear client invoices, send account statements, and document payments with free tools for legal billing.

Create a legal invoice Track billable time

How it works

A simple legal billing workflow

  1. Track billable time

    Record work by date, description, hours, and rate before preparing the client invoice.

    Create a timesheet →

  2. Create the client invoice

    Turn billable time, fixed fees, and reimbursable expenses into a professional client invoice.

    Create an invoice →

  3. Send an account statement

    Summarize outstanding invoices, payments, credits, and the client's current balance.

    Create a statement →

  4. Document payment

    Provide a record of payment after an invoice or retainer has been paid.

    Create a receipt →

Worked example

Example legal invoice

Amounts are examples only—not recommended legal rates.

Hamilton & Reed LLP

Bill to Acme Holdings, Inc.

INV-1042

Description Hours / Qty Rate Amount
Contract review and analysis 1.8 $425 $765.00
Client conference 0.7 $425 $297.50
Contract revisions 2.2 $425 $935.00
Filing fee 1 $150 $150.00
Total $2,147.50

Create an invoice like this →

Billing methods

Common ways legal services are billed

Hourly billing

Record time spent on the matter and invoice the client using the applicable hourly rate.

Flat-fee billing

Charge an agreed amount for a defined service or matter rather than billing by time.

Retainers

Collect funds upfront or on an ongoing basis and document later billing and payments against that amount.

Expenses and disbursements

Separate professional fees from reimbursable costs such as filing fees, travel, or other client expenses.

Ongoing client billing

Use account statements when a client has multiple invoices, payments, or outstanding balances.

Billable time

Track legal billable time

A legal timesheet can provide the detail needed to prepare an hourly invoice and give clients a clear record of the work performed.

Date Description Hours Rate Amount
May 12, 2026 Contract review and analysis 1.8 $425 $765.00
May 13, 2026 Client conference 0.7 $425 $297.50
May 14, 2026 Contract revisions 2.2 $425 $935.00

Create a legal timesheet →

Resources

Legal billing resources

Retainer Agreements
18 min read

Retainer Agreements

Learn how retainer agreements work, the main types, how to invoice a retainer, and how they differ from recurring invoices, deposits, and progress billing.

Read guide
Invoice Payment Terms
15 min read

Invoice Payment Terms

Learn how invoice payment terms like Net 30, Net 15, and Due on Receipt work, how to choose the right ones, and how to get paid faster—with examples.

Read guide
Customer Statements
11 min read

Customer Statements

Learn what customer statements are, how they differ from invoices, what to include, and when to send them so you get paid faster—with examples.

Read guide
Invoice Late Fees
12 min read

Invoice Late Fees

Learn how to charge invoice late fees the right way—legal basics, fair rates, wording examples, and calculations that get you paid without losing clients.

Read guide
Invoice Follow-Up
19 min read

Invoice Follow-Up

Build a professional invoice follow-up process that gets you paid faster without straining client relationships—timelines, sample wording, and best practices.

Read guide
Collect Unpaid Invoices
18 min read

Collect Unpaid Invoices

Recover unpaid invoices with a calm, step-by-step collections process—from friendly reminders to escalation—while protecting customer relationships.

Read guide
Payment Plans
13 min read

Payment Plans

Learn how to offer customer payment plans that improve collections and protect relationships—when to use them, how to structure installments, and sample wording.

Read guide

Next step

When invoices stay unpaid

Reminders and statements often recover overdue invoices. If those steps are not enough, Collbox handles professional collections for you.

Get professional collections →

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What should a legal invoice include?
Most legal invoices list the firm, the client, an invoice number and date, a description of the work, hours and rate or a fixed fee, reimbursable expenses, the total, and payment terms. Requirements can vary by matter and jurisdiction.
How do I invoice legal clients by the hour?
Record time against the matter, then bill hours × rate as line items. Add reimbursable expenses as separate lines so fees and costs stay distinct.
How detailed should legal billing descriptions be?
Use enough detail for the client to understand the work—task, subject matter, and time—without including privileged or unnecessary sensitive information.
How do I show expenses on a legal invoice?
Add each cost as its own line item, such as a filing fee, so professional fees and disbursements are easy to tell apart.
What is the difference between a legal invoice and an account statement?
An invoice bills a specific period or matter. An account statement summarizes invoices, payments, credits, and the outstanding balance across the account.
Can I use a timesheet to create a legal invoice?
Yes. Record billable time on a timesheet, then create the client invoice from those hours, rates, and any expenses. After payment, send a receipt; for ongoing matters, send an account statement.
What if a client still does not pay after follow-up?
Keep sending reminders and statements while the invoice is overdue. If that is not enough, a collections service such as Collbox can pursue the debt for you.
Create a legal invoice Track billable time