What is block billing and how to avoid it

Published 6 October 2026. Updated 6 October 2026.

Block billing is a frequent reason corporate clients question or cut entries on a law firm invoice. It is also easy to prevent, because it comes from a habit rather than from the work itself.

This guide explains what it is, why clients object, and how to write entries that avoid it. For the full routine of checking a draft invoice, see how to check an invoice against billing guidelines.

What block billing means

Block billing is recording several separate tasks under one time figure, in one entry. The client sees a total and a list, but cannot tell how much time went to each task.

Here is a typical example:

3.5 hours: Review deposition transcript; draft motion to compel; call with client regarding discovery.

That is three tasks and one number. Did the call take ten minutes or an hour? Was the motion a short draft or most of the afternoon? The client has no way to judge, and a client's billing review is built around judging exactly that.

Why clients object

Corporate clients pay for work they cannot watch. The time entry is their only view into it. They use it to check three things:

• whether the time spent on each task was reasonable;
• whether any task is one they do not pay for under their guideline, such as clerical work;
• whether the right level of timekeeper did the task.

A lumped entry makes all three impossible to answer. The easy response, for the client's billing team or an e-billing system, is to question the entry, reduce it or cut it entirely. That is how a minor habit turns into a real write-down.

How guidelines usually treat it

Wording varies a great deal, so check each client. These are forms you may meet:

• A flat ban: each task must be recorded as its own entry.
• A rule that if tasks are grouped, the time for each must be stated in the entry.
• No mention at all, but a general rule that narratives must be specific.

Because the rule differs by client, the same entry can be fine for one client and a write-down for another. That is why a firm with several corporate clients needs the rule on a list per client.

Fixing a block entry

Take the example above and suppose the timekeeper's notes show 1.8 hours on the transcript, 1.4 on the motion and 0.3 on the call.

1. Find the real split. Use the timekeeper's notes, calendar or document history. Do not estimate to make the numbers look neat.
2. Make one entry per task. Give each its own date, time and narrative.
3. Describe each task specifically. Say what was reviewed and why, not just the category.
4. Check the total. The split entries must add up to the original time, unless some of it is being written off.

The result:

The total is still 3.5 hours, and the client can now see where each part went.

Writing entries that do not need fixing later

Prevention is cheaper than repair. A few habits help:

• Enter time at the end of each task, not at the end of the day.
• Start a new entry whenever the task changes, even for a few minutes.
• Use a verb and an object: "Drafted" plus what, "Reviewed" plus what, "Conferred with" plus whom and about what.
• Avoid semicolons and the word "and" joining unrelated tasks in one line.
• If a task really is several small items, ask the client whether grouping is allowed and get the answer in writing.

What a check looks like in practice

Look for these signs when reading a draft invoice:

1. Several verbs in a single entry.
2. Semicolons or commas separating different activities.
3. Large time figures against short narratives.
4. Words such as "various", "multiple" or "and other matters".

Mark each suspect entry with the clause that bans or limits block billing, so whoever decides can see the reason straight away.

How BillPrecheck does this step

When the client's guideline has a block billing clause, BillPrecheck picks it out as a rule and reads each entry of the draft invoice against it. An entry that combines distinct tasks, or carries several task codes on one line, comes back marked Flag, with the clause quoted word for word, a plain reason and a suggested rewrite. In the sample shown on the site, an entry reading "Depo review; motion; client call" is flagged under a clause banning block billing, with the billed value shown as at risk.

You upload the guideline and the invoice (LEDES 1998B, CSV, Excel, Word or PDF) and download an annotated invoice and a report of entries flagged with their billed value. If a quoted clause cannot be found word for word in the guideline, the entry shows as To check, not as a flag. A second AI model reviews the result.

BillPrecheck suggests wording. The responsible lawyer still decides how to split or rewrite, using the timekeeper's real record of the work. It does not connect to billing systems today, so you upload a file, and it has been tested only on invented guidelines and invoices so far.

One invoice check is 23 credits, with packs from $25. Create an account to run a draft invoice through it.

Questions

Is block billing always against the rules?

It depends on the client's guideline. Some ban it outright, some allow grouped tasks only when the time for each task is stated, and some have no specific clause. Read the clause for that client and do not assume.

Can a firm split a block entry after the fact?

Only if the time can be divided accurately, ideally from the timekeeper's own notes or calendar. Do not invent a split to satisfy a rule. If the times cannot be reconstructed, ask the client contact how they want it handled.

Does a long narrative count as block billing?

Not by itself. What matters is whether one time figure covers several separate tasks. A long description of a single task is fine. A short line that joins three tasks with semicolons is the usual problem.