Is an electronic signature valid on a time record?

Yes. Electronic signatures generally meet legal-validity tests when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are satisfied under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA provisions.

What if a client requests a paper copy?

Provide a printable, human-readable PDF and retain the signed electronic record; for consumer-facing transactions, obtain any ESIGN consumer disclosure required by law.

How long must time records be retained?

Follow federal guidance: IRS records at least 3 years (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA-related records 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer where state law or firm policy requires it.

How do I correct an already-submitted entry?

Create an amendment entry showing the correction, preserve the original entry for audit purposes, and capture approver sign-off documenting the reason for the change.

Are notarization or witnesses usually required?

Not for routine time entries. Notarization or witnesses may be relevant when attaching sworn affidavits or verified statements; check state RON rules if remote notarization is needed.

What causes invoices to be rejected by clients?

Common causes include missing matter numbers, vague descriptions, rounding inconsistencies, or lacking approval metadata; follow the firm template and audit logs to reduce rejection rates.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Legal
Legal Time Tracking Form

Legal Time Tracking Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

LEGAL TIME TRACKING FORM

This Legal Time Tracking Form is executed as of Date: by and between Client Name: and Law Firm Name: (each a "Party" and collectively the "Parties").

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client has engaged Law Firm to provide legal services in connection with Matter: ; and

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to establish a standardized procedure for contemporaneous timekeeping, billing of fees and expenses, and retention of time records for the Matter.

WHEREAS, accurate time records are necessary to support invoicing, internal controls, and any review or audit rights reserved by Client.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth below, the Parties agree as follows:

1. ENGAGEMENT AND TIMEKEEPING

1.1 Engagement. Law Firm shall perform legal services for Client as described in the underlying engagement agreement between the Parties. This Time Tracking Form documents the required form and content of time entries and related records.

1.2 Contemporaneous Entries. Time entries must be recorded contemporaneously with the performance of services and shall identify, at a minimum, the entry date, matter or project code, start time, end time, total hours, a concise description of the activity, and the initials of the person billing time.

1.3 Rounding and Minimum Increments. Time shall be recorded in not greater than one-tenth (0.1) hour increments unless otherwise agreed in writing. Minimum billing increment: .

2. TIME ENTRY LOG

The following entries shall be provided for the billing period commencing and ending . Each row corresponds to an individual billable or non-billable time record.

Date	Matter/Task	Start	End	Hours	Rate	Amount	Initials	Billable

Total Hours for Period: Total Amount:

3. RATES, EXPENSES, AND ADJUSTMENTS

3.1 Billing Rates. Default hourly rate applicable to the entries above: . Exceptions or alternate rates must be documented in writing and attached to the invoice.

3.2 Expenses. Expenses shall be billed separately and are subject to Client's reimbursement policies. Expense detail supporting each reimbursement request must be provided contemporaneously with the invoice.

3.3 Adjustments. Client may request reasonable supporting detail for billed time. Law Firm agrees to correct manifest errors and make reasonable, good faith billing adjustments within thirty (30) days of written notice.

4. RECORD RETENTION AND AUDIT

4.1 Retention. Law Firm shall retain original time records, contemporaneous journals, and supporting documentation for a period of from the date of the invoice.

4.2 Audit Rights. Client shall have the right, upon at least ten (10) business days' prior written notice, to audit billing records related to the Matter during normal business hours and subject to confidentiality protections set forth below. Any dispute arising from an audit will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution provisions of the underlying engagement agreement.

5. CONFIDENTIALITY AND USE OF RECORDS

Law Firm acknowledges that time entries and narratives may contain privileged or confidential information. Where an entry contains privileged communications, Law Firm shall mark records accordingly and provide an appropriate privilege log upon Client's request. Neither Party shall use time records except as necessary for billing, audit, regulatory or litigation purposes consistent with applicable privilege and confidentiality obligations.

6. REPRESENTATIONS, AMENDMENTS AND WAIVER

Each Party represents that it has full authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Time Tracking Form. This Form may be amended only by written instrument signed by both Parties. No waiver of any provision shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the Party granting the waiver.

7. NOTICES

Client Notice Address Law Firm Notice Address

Notices shall be deemed given when delivered in writing to the addresses provided above or to such other address as a Party may designate in writing in accordance with this Section.

8. GOVERNING LAW; SEVERABILITY; ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Time Tracking Form shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to choice-of-law principles. If any provision of this Form is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. This Form, together with the underlying engagement agreement, constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to timekeeping, billing and related record retention and supersedes any prior oral or written representations.

9. COUNTERPARTS

This Time Tracking Form may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Facsimile or electronic images of signatures shall be deemed originals for all purposes.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS / EXCEPTIONS

Notes or Exceptions

Client:

By:

Date:

Law Firm:

By:

Date:

What the Legal Time Tracking Form Is and why it matters

A Legal Time Tracking Form is a structured record used by law firms, corporate legal teams, and contract attorneys to log work performed on matters, allocate billable and non-billable hours, and produce client invoices or internal reports. It standardizes entries for matter numbers, task codes, dates, start/stop times, activity descriptions, and applicable rates to support accurate billing, fee recovery, and auditability across client accounts and practice management systems.

Why standardized time records improve billing accuracy and compliance

Using a consistent Legal Time Tracking Form reduces billing disputes, ensures transparent client invoicing, and preserves an audit trail that supports fee statements, internal reviews, and regulatory obligations. Time records paired with electronic signatures can meet legal-recognition requirements under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted.

Who typically completes and relies on these time records

The form is used across legal teams and related professionals to record, approve, and bill time consistently.

Law firms and solo practitioners: Attorneys and paralegals enter matter-based time for client billing and trust accounting compliance.
Corporate legal departments: In-house counsel track internal chargebacks, matter budgets, and outside counsel spend oversight.
Contract attorneys and consultants: Freelancers use the form to document deliverables, hourly work, and invoice submissions to clients.

Consistent use by these groups supports accurate invoicing, defensible time entries, and easier integration with practice-management and accounting systems.

Core elements that make the form reliable and professional

A professional Legal Time Tracking Form includes fields and controls that reduce errors, provide calculation transparency, and support reviewer sign-off or electronic approval.

Matter Identifier

A dedicated case or matter number field that ties every entry to a specific client matter and billing code for ledger reconciliation and trust accounting.

Date & Time

Discrete date, start and end times, and duration fields that permit automatic calculation of hours, rounding rules, and compliance with firm billing policies.

Activity Code

Task or activity code selection (e.g., research, drafting, court appearance) to categorize work for client reports and rate differentiation.

Rates & Multipliers

Fields for hourly rates, interim discounts, or multiplier rules so the form calculates billable value consistently across staff and tasks.

Approval Workflow

Signature, approver name, and approval-date fields that record who reviewed and authorized entries before invoice generation.

Audit Trail

An embedded change log or audit metadata that captures timestamps, editor identity, and version history to support fee disputes or audits.

Step-by-step: completing and submitting a time entry

Follow a consistent sequence to capture accurate, approvable time for billing and records.

01

Gather matter data: Retrieve client, matter number, and rate information before entering time.
02

Record times: Enter date, start/end times, and calculate hours per firm rounding rules.
03

Describe activity: Add a clear activity description and the appropriate task code.
04

Submit for approval: Send the entry to the designated approver and capture approval metadata.

Typical routing from entry to invoice

A standard flow moves entries from capture to approval, invoicing, and archived storage for compliance and auditability.

Entry: User inputs time and task details into the form.
Routing: Form routes to supervisor or billing reviewer for verification.
Approval: Approver signs or authorizes the entry electronically.
Archiving: Signed entries are saved to billing and document management systems.

Common digital workflow settings for online forms

Configure routing and authentication to match firm policies and the sensitivity of client matters.

Field	Configuration
Authentication method	Email link \| SMS code \| SSO
Routing order	Role-based sequential approval
Approval threshold	Supervisor sign-off for >2 hours per entry
Notifications	Email and in-app reminders enabled

Technical compatibility and integrations to consider

Ensure your form supports common file formats and integrates with billing or practice-management systems used by the firm.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX supported
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
Authentication: Email OTP, SMS code, SSO

Confirm that the chosen platform supports audit trails, conditional fields, and secure storage to meet retention and regulatory requirements for legal billing records.

Typical submission and billing deadlines to observe

Establish clear cutoffs to avoid missed billing cycles and reconcile entries promptly with accounting.

Daily or weekly entry:

Enter time by end of day or weekly to preserve accuracy

Client billing cutoff:

Close billing period on the last day of month

Invoice generation window:

Prepare invoices within first five business days of next month

Expense reconciliation:

Match time entries with expenses before invoicing

Retrospective edits:

Limit edits after invoice issuance; document reasons

Key processing milestones from entry to posted invoice

Track these sequential milestones to measure cycle time and identify bottlenecks.

01

Entry capture

Time recorded by staff into the form.

02

Internal review

Billing coordinator verifies entries and task codes.

03

Approver sign-off

Designated approver authorizes billable hours.

04

Invoice posting

Approved entries are exported to accounting and invoiced.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing time records

Delaying entry until month-end increases errors and weakens contemporaneous evidence of work performed, which can complicate client disputes.
Using vague activity descriptions prevents clients and auditors from understanding billed tasks and may lead to disputed charges.
Mismatched matter numbers or client identifiers cause reconciliation failures and delay invoicing and payment posting.
Skipping approver validation or failing to capture approval metadata undermines internal controls and complicates ethical billing reviews.

Risks and potential consequences of incorrect or missing time records

Billing disputes: Client invoice challenges and delayed collections

Ethics exposure: Overbilling risk may trigger professional discipline

Revenue loss: Unrecorded hours cause missed billable recovery

Audit failures: Insufficient audit trail complicates compliance reviews

Data breaches: PHI in notes can trigger HIPAA obligations

Tax reporting: Inaccurate records affect 1099 and payroll filings

Real-world examples of Legal Time Tracking Form usage

These examples illustrate how organizations use structured time forms and digital approvals to streamline work and maintain compliance.

Martin Properties — Time-to-close

Martin Properties adopted digital time forms to process vendor and attorney invoices faster.

They integrated mobile entry for on-site work.
The team reported improved turnaround and consistent audit logs for real-estate closing activities, enabling faster invoice reconciliation and fewer disputes.

Fertility Centers of Illinois — Compliance

The center digitized staff time capture to centralize payroll and clinical task tracking.

Staff used mobile and offline modes.
The result was secure records with clear audit metadata supporting internal reviews and retention aligned to HIPAA obligations.

Practical tips to ensure accurate, defensible time records

Apply consistent policies and lightweight controls to maintain accuracy and reduce friction for timekeepers.

Enforce prompt entry

Require same-day or daily time entry to preserve contemporaneous detail and reduce reliance on memory when describing tasks.

Standardize codes

Use a firm-wide list of matter and activity codes with brief definitions to ensure consistent categorization across users.

Capture approvals

Record approver identity and timestamp for every billed entry to strengthen auditability and support dispute resolution.

Limit free-text PHI

Avoid storing protected health information in activity descriptions; use secured reference codes and documented consent where necessary.

Frequently asked questions about the Legal Time Tracking Form

Answers to common issues encountered when filling, approving, or storing electronic time records.

Need help? Contact support

Is an electronic signature valid on a time record?
Yes. Electronic signatures generally meet legal-validity tests when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are satisfied under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA provisions.
What if a client requests a paper copy?
Provide a printable, human-readable PDF and retain the signed electronic record; for consumer-facing transactions, obtain any ESIGN consumer disclosure required by law.
How long must time records be retained?
Follow federal guidance: IRS records at least 3 years (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA-related records 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer where state law or firm policy requires it.
How do I correct an already-submitted entry?
Create an amendment entry showing the correction, preserve the original entry for audit purposes, and capture approver sign-off documenting the reason for the change.
Are notarization or witnesses usually required?
Not for routine time entries. Notarization or witnesses may be relevant when attaching sworn affidavits or verified statements; check state RON rules if remote notarization is needed.
What causes invoices to be rejected by clients?
Common causes include missing matter numbers, vague descriptions, rounding inconsistencies, or lacking approval metadata; follow the firm template and audit logs to reduce rejection rates.

Typical eSignature vendor comparison for signing Legal Time Tracking Forms

A concise comparison of starting prices and key capabilities for signing and managing Legal Time Tracking Forms across common vendors.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

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