Free attorney invoice template
Bill legal time properly — dated entries in 0.1-hour units, attorney and paralegal rates in separate bands, and disbursements kept apart. Free PDF, no signup.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Tax | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 |
| Subtotal | $0.00 |
| Total | $0.00 |
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The parts of an invoice, labelled.
A complete invoice has nine parts. The editor above has a field for every one — here's where each sits on the finished document.
What to put on this invoice.
Miss one of these and the document usually comes back with a question attached. Everything here is a field in the editor above.
- The matter name or file number the invoice relates to
- Dated time entries with a clear task description
- Separate rate bands for attorney and paralegal time
- Time in 0.1-hour increments, stated on the invoice
- Disbursements — filing fees, courier, search fees — listed apart
- Any retainer or trust balance applied, and what remains
Task descriptions decide whether the bill gets paid
In-house counsel and cost assessors read the narrative, not the total. “Attention to matter — 2.5” is the classic entry that gets written down; “Review and mark up master services agreement, first pass — 2.5” survives review because it describes work that obviously took that long. Name the document, the counterparty or the step in the process. It takes seconds at the time and saves the write-off later.
Separate attorney time, paralegal time and disbursements
Three different things, three different sections. Rate bands let the client see the leverage in the matter — how much went to senior time versus support — which is exactly the transparency that keeps a relationship intact. Disbursements belong in their own block because they're reimbursements, not fees: they typically carry different tax treatment, and burying a $75 filing fee inside a fees section makes the hourly total look inflated for no reason.
Show the retainer and what's left of it
If you hold funds in trust, the invoice should state the retainer balance before, the amount applied, and the balance after. Clients rarely track this themselves, and an invoice that does the arithmetic prevents both the awkward top-up conversation and the worse one where a client believes they'd already paid. Record the applied amount in the Amount paid field so the document shows fees, the retainer applied, and the balance actually due.
Attorney invoice template — common questions.
What increment should legal time be billed in?
0.1 of an hour — six minutes — is the standard in most jurisdictions and what clients expect to see. State the increment on the invoice, and avoid the habit of rounding every task to a full unit, which is the first thing a cost assessor looks for.
Should filing fees be taxed?
Disbursements paid on a client's behalf are often treated differently from your fees, and the rules vary by jurisdiction. Mark those lines non-taxable or taxable to match your local position, and confirm the treatment with your accountant or bar association guidance.
Is this template a substitute for legal billing software?
No. It produces a professional invoice PDF and keeps your history, which is plenty for a small practice or a solo attorney. If you need trust accounting, LEDES export or conflict checking, use practice management software — and note that BillCrafter is a document tool, not legal or accounting advice.
BillCrafter is a document tool, not an accounting or legal service. Tax and contract rules vary by country and state — check anything material with a qualified professional.
What the official guidance says
“Your invoice must include a unique identification number, your company name, address and contact information [and] the total amount owed.”
— GOV.UK, “Invoices — what they must include”
Requirements differ by country, but the essentials are consistent: a unique invoice number, the seller and the buyer, an itemized description, the amount due, and clear payment terms. Every BillCrafter template is built around those fields. The primary sources we follow are below.
- GOV.UK — Invoicing and taking payment from customers — The UK government’s list of what every invoice must legally include.
- IRS — Recordkeeping for small business — US guidance on the invoices and receipts you should keep, and for how long.
- U.S. Small Business Administration — Manage your finances — Bookkeeping, accounts receivable and getting paid as a small business.
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Legal billing is scrutinised more than any other kind of professional invoice. This template shows dated entries, splits time by rate band, keeps filing fees and other disbursements out of the hourly totals, and prints a clean PDF for the client file.
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2 · Sign in and it’s saved
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3 · Pick from 45 templates
Eight distinct layouts, twelve accent colors, and presets for freelance, contracting, consulting, photography and more — plus estimates, quotes and receipts. Browse the library.
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