Tackling the challenge of capturing time properly for law firms

Efficient and accurate time recording is a critical aspect of running a successful law firm. However, many firms face challenges in getting their fee-earners to record time effectively and properly. In this article we examine the common issues firms have to overcome in order to capture time more effectively, and how firms can leverage time recording solutions to do so.

It’s considered a tedious task

Time recording is often viewed as a time-consuming and burdensome activity that diverts valuable resources from core legal work. Fee-earners may perceive it as an administrative chore that takes away precious hours from serving clients. To overcome this challenge, law firms need to embrace technology-driven solutions that simplify and automate the time recording process.

It’s often a loaded task

The billable hour is a longstanding metric used in the legal industry to assess productivity and profitability. Fee-earners face external pressures, such as billable hour targets or partner expectations, which can create stress and compromise the accuracy of time recording. Striking a balance between meeting productivity goals and ensuring accurate time tracking is crucial.

It is essential for law firms to promote a supportive work culture that values accuracy over mere quantity. By emphasising the importance of diligent time recording while providing adequate resources and support, firms can alleviate the pressure and ensure accurate timekeeping.

Inconsistent recording practices

Within a law firm, different timekeepers may adopt varying approaches to recording time, leading to inconsistencies and discrepancies in billing. This inconsistency can result in disputes with clients and negatively impact the firm's reputation.

To address this challenge, law firms should establish guidelines and install clear and uniform instructions on time recording methodologies, codes, and categories can help ensure consistency across the organization. Regular training sessions can further reinforce these guidelines and cultivate a culture of standardised timekeeping practices.

Fee-earners often miss out some key billable time

Human error and oversight can lead to inaccuracies in invoices and missed billable time. Fee-earners may unintentionally fail to record time for certain tasks, resulting in lost revenue opportunities for the firm. To mitigate this challenge, law firms must implement effective quality control measures.

Regular audits and reviews of time records can help identify errors or omissions. Firms should also provide ongoing training to enhance the accuracy and attention to detail of fee-earners.

Many are unable to leverage real-time time tracking with their current solutions

Traditional time recording methods often involve manual entry and retrospective time logging, making it difficult to capture time accurately. Fee-earners may struggle to recall the exact duration spent on each task, leading to estimations and potential inaccuracies.

To overcome this challenge, law firms can adopt real-time tracking solutions that integrate with their existing systems. By using mobile apps or browser plugins, fee-earners can conveniently record time as they work, capturing every billable minute. Real-time tracking provides more accurate data and allows for immediate invoicing, enhancing both accuracy and efficiency.

How a cloud-based time recording solution can help

Cloud-based time recording solutions offer a range of benefits that can significantly improve time capture processes. By harnessing the power of the cloud, law firms can increase revenue, reduce overheads, improve efficiency, and future-proof their operations.

• Increase revenue and capture every moment: One of the key advantages of a cloud-based time recording solution is the ability to capture and record higher levels of billable time, ultimately leading to increased revenue. Cloud-based providers offer fee-earners with the flexibility to record their time from any location, on any device, whether through a web browser or through a native app. With ‘smart timers’ such as Carpe Diem’s ‘SmarTimers’, fee-earners have instant access to capture every moment, ensuring no billable time slips through the cracks, regardless of their location.

• Increase efficiency through integration: Modern cloud-based time recording software is built on an API-first approach, enabling easy integration with other solutions at your firm such as with your case management, billing, and document management solutions. This flexibility allows you to enhance the value of your investment in several ways, including ways you may not have considered such as importing fee earners' annual leave from your HR system, as well as some that are vital, like seamlessly exporting time data to your accounting system. These integrations streamline processes and boost overall efficiency, making it a valuable asset to your firm.

• Flexible mobility with remote time recording: Mobile apps with time recording capabilities enables fee-earners to record time remotely, both online and offline. This flexibility allows fee-earners to capture their time on the go, ensuring accurate time tracking and enhancing user engagement with recordings uploaded straight to your integrated case management system.