Legal Billing Summary
Generate a client-ready billing narrative that explains fees and expenses clearly while preserving privilege.
Required Inputs
- Billing period (start/end dates), matter name, client name
- Time entries: timekeeper, rate, hours, description, date
- Expense entries: date, vendor, description, amount
- Engagement letter or billing guidelines (rates, caps, task codes, prohibited expenses)
- Milestones or phase labels (if any)
- Write-downs, discounts, or adjustments (if any)
Output Structure
Populate every section below.
1. Header
Matter | Client | Billing Period | Responsible Attorneys | Billing Guidelines Reference
2. Executive Overview
3-6 sentences on the period's major workstreams and outcomes, plus a totals table:
| Metric |
Amount |
| Fees |
$ |
| Expenses |
$ |
| Total |
$ |
| Discount/Write-down |
$ |
| Net Total |
$ |
3. Timekeeper Summary
| Timekeeper |
Role |
Rate |
Hours |
Fees |
Notes |
Notes column: explain scope (e.g., "board governance research," "drafted consent resolutions").
4. Task Category Breakdown
Default categories (override with client task codes if provided):
- Research and Analysis
- Drafting and Document Production
- Client Communications
- Internal Strategy and Case Management
- Negotiation and Counterparty Communications
- Regulatory/Compliance Work
- Filings and Formalities
- Other (define clearly)
| Category |
Hours |
Fees |
Narrative |
Narrative: explain purpose and outcome in plain English; never reveal legal advice or strategy.
5. Phase View (optional, recommended for long periods)
| Phase / Milestone |
Dates |
Key Work Performed |
Fees |
6. Expenses
| Date |
Category |
Vendor |
Description |
Amount |
Justification |
Include subtotals for material categories (filing fees, expert/consultant, travel).
7. Adjustments and Compliance
- List write-downs, caps applied, or policy-driven exclusions.
- Note block-billed entries and how they were separated.
- Confirm compliance with client billing guidelines.
8. Forward Look (optional)
2-4 sentences on expected next-period activities and cost drivers.
Privilege and Billing Safeguards
- Protect privilege: never include legal advice, mental impressions, or litigation strategy.
- Be specific: avoid vague phrases like "legal research" — always name the topic.
- Tie work to objectives: connect entries to matter goals or compliance requirements.
- Show policy compliance: rates, caps, task codes, approved expenses.
- Flag anomalies: unusual expenses, staffing changes, large time spikes.
- No duplicate billing: do not overlap timekeeper entries for the same task without explanation.
- No administrative padding: exclude admin tasks unless guidelines permit.
- Stay consistent: narrative must match time entry descriptions and invoice totals.
1---2name: billing-summary3description: >-4 Produces privilege-safe U.S. corporate legal billing summaries from time and5 expense data. Converts entries into client-friendly narratives with categorized6 hours, rates, expenses, and milestones while enforcing engagement-letter rules7 and ethical billing safeguards. Use when asked to create a billing summary,8 invoice narrative, timekeeper breakdown, expense summary, or fee narrative.9tags:10 - corporate11 - summarization12 - summary13---1415# Legal Billing Summary1617Generate a client-ready billing narrative that explains fees and expenses clearly while preserving privilege.1819## Required Inputs20211. Billing period (start/end dates), matter name, client name222. Time entries: timekeeper, rate, hours, description, date233. Expense entries: date, vendor, description, amount244. Engagement letter or billing guidelines (rates, caps, task codes, prohibited expenses)255. Milestones or phase labels (if any)266. Write-downs, discounts, or adjustments (if any)2728## Output Structure2930Populate every section below.3132### 1. Header3334Matter | Client | Billing Period | Responsible Attorneys | Billing Guidelines Reference3536### 2. Executive Overview37383-6 sentences on the period's major workstreams and outcomes, plus a totals table:3940| Metric | Amount |41| --- | --- |42| Fees | $ |43| Expenses | $ |44| Total | $ |45| Discount/Write-down | $ |46| Net Total | $ |4748### 3. Timekeeper Summary4950| Timekeeper | Role | Rate | Hours | Fees | Notes |51| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |5253Notes column: explain scope (e.g., "board governance research," "drafted consent resolutions").5455### 4. Task Category Breakdown5657Default categories (override with client task codes if provided):5859- Research and Analysis60- Drafting and Document Production61- Client Communications62- Internal Strategy and Case Management63- Negotiation and Counterparty Communications64- Regulatory/Compliance Work65- Filings and Formalities66- Other (define clearly)6768| Category | Hours | Fees | Narrative |69| --- | --- | --- | --- |7071Narrative: explain purpose and outcome in plain English; never reveal legal advice or strategy.7273### 5. Phase View (optional, recommended for long periods)7475| Phase / Milestone | Dates | Key Work Performed | Fees |76| --- | --- | --- | --- |7778### 6. Expenses7980| Date | Category | Vendor | Description | Amount | Justification |81| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |8283Include subtotals for material categories (filing fees, expert/consultant, travel).8485### 7. Adjustments and Compliance8687- List write-downs, caps applied, or policy-driven exclusions.88- Note block-billed entries and how they were separated.89- Confirm compliance with client billing guidelines.9091### 8. Forward Look (optional)92932-4 sentences on expected next-period activities and cost drivers.9495## Privilege and Billing Safeguards9697- **Protect privilege**: never include legal advice, mental impressions, or litigation strategy.98- **Be specific**: avoid vague phrases like "legal research" — always name the topic.99- **Tie work to objectives**: connect entries to matter goals or compliance requirements.100- **Show policy compliance**: rates, caps, task codes, approved expenses.101- **Flag anomalies**: unusual expenses, staffing changes, large time spikes.102- **No duplicate billing**: do not overlap timekeeper entries for the same task without explanation.103- **No administrative padding**: exclude admin tasks unless guidelines permit.104- **Stay consistent**: narrative must match time entry descriptions and invoice totals.
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