Legal services invoice template
Clients read a legal bill line by line. This template shows the matter, the billing period and each time entry with the timekeeper, hours and rate, and keeps court fees and other disbursements in a separate group.
No sign-up, no watermark. Made in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Free trial: 1 run of Invoice Generator every day. After that, 2 credits per run.
What this template includes
- Your business name, address and contact details
- Customer name and address
- Document number and issue date
- Matter name / number
- Billing period
- Client reference
- Retainer / trust applied
- Line items with hours, rate and amount, grouped as professional fees, disbursements
- Tax, discounts, amount paid and balance due
Time entries in tenths
Most firms record time in tenths of an hour. Enter 0.6 for thirty-six minutes and the invoice multiplies it by the rate exactly. A description that names the task and the document is easier for a client to approve.
Disbursements and retainers
Filing fees, courier costs and expert fees paid on the client behalf are usually not taxable and belong in the disbursements group. If you drew on a retainer or trust balance, record it in the amount paid box and name it in the notes.
Questions
What does the timekeeper column show?
The initials of the person who did the work, so a client can see which entries were partner time and which were associate or paralegal time at different rates.
Are legal fees subject to VAT or GST?
In the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and India, legal services are generally taxable when the firm is registered. Set the country and rate, and untick taxable on disbursements that are passed through without tax.
Can I use this for a flat-fee matter?
Yes. Use one line for the agreed fee with a quantity of 1, and list any disbursements below it as usual.