Billing Time

Earlier this week, I tried to teach our summer associates how to bill time.

I don't recall an attorney ever sitting me down, formally, and explaining how to count .1 increments.

I'm not talking about the ethics of when to bill, when not to bill, double billing, or padding time.

I'm also not talking about how to use the firm's time-entry app.

The two times I remember talking about it were (1) on the way to an associate lunch; and (2) over dinner and drinks with other associates.

Now, obviously, I can count by 6, but I'm talking the nitty gritty of how to actually count your minutes, enter your time, and build the habit.

It strikes me as something we all probably do a little differently (like: timers vs. by hand; daily time entry vs. weekly or monthly entry).

I do it by hand and I enter (and release) my time every day. I know people balk at that, but that habit has served me well.

Have you ever received something in writing on how to bill time? Formal training?

#training #people #ethics #billablehour #biglaw