Is it normal Law jobs to have to time everything you do?

[purpleplatypus2022]

Recently started a new job in the legal sector. The job's great but we have to time everything we do - literally there's a programme you have to click little timers on and off and put a description of everything you do.

I've never had to do this any previous role - closest was when I did a summer job in a factory and had to clock in and out on one of those old time-stamp machines. Tbh I feel like I'm being treated like a child. Everyone else here seem just used to it and not bothered. Bosses say it's be able to bill the clients correctly though I can't help but feel it's at least as much to keep tabs on what we're doing etc.

Is this normal practice in the legal sector??

Yes because clients are billed so much per hour for time spent on their work and they receive a detailed breakdown.

ps. soz for the rubbish grammar, typing this up quickly on lunch break

Yes, entirely normal to do time recording for fee earning work.

Like a 5 minute phone call can be £20 depending on the seniority of the person who makes it!

It is done so you know how much time you have spent on a file and therefore how much to charge a client.

Before I got to the end of your post my first thought was ‘surely this is to do with billing the clients’, and that’s what your boss has told you.

It might seem odd but I think a lot if places where clients are billed by the hour have to keep timesheets - e.g. design studios.

Completely normal. I remember dropping in to meet my DM (law partner) and her noting what time I’d walked in the door.

Meant to say yes its completely normal in legal sector and also in accountancy.

Yes. Totally normal. Usually 6 minute chunks.

That’s my understanding about law, also do timesheets in consulting split by project / internal etc

We don’t have a timer as the accuracy doesn’t need to be as high as every 10 min but that would be helpful to keep track

Yep, in private practice. Six minute blocks. I used to have about 30 different timers on my screen, ready for whenever a current client called me or whatever.

So glad I work in-house now!

This is what all legal firms do op or should do. They bill in segments of minutes to clients. And they need to keep accurate records. There is nothing nefarious.

however of course they can then see how long it takes you to do something and how much time you spend working.

im surprised though, you were told why it was, the answer is quite obvious. So how come you don’t believe them?

yep 6 min blocks. It is standard in law work, ime.

OP have we allayed your fears that you are being over-monitored and babied a bit in this role?

Yes, standard in legal, and other consultancy type jobs. It is used to bill clients definitely, and also (in my experience) to monitor your chargeable hours vs targets.

Completely normal - used to have to record it manually so the automated system is a lot better. I've been out of private practice for years but I still wake up some mornings with a bad dream about not having managed to do my timesheets for weeks.....

Normal - you may be targeted to % of working hours being chargeable.

Standard in some sectors. Although charging clients in 6 minute blocks for mail merge letters always felt like a bit of a scam to me. And often I wouldn't have enough hours in the day to fit them all in!

Hmmm ok... my bad then for not fulling research the sector before signing on the dotted line.

I was a bit thrown as something at work said that this was a new thing the company bought in last year. Possibly they meant just the specific system.

** fully researching

Yes, completely standard to charge time in 6 minute blocks!

Not the only profession that does this.

It's normal IF you're chargeable and this is private practice. From what your boss has said, you are. It isn't normal for non-chargeable staff (eg the accounts team) to have to record time. It's also not normal for in house legal teams (but some do).

Completely standard to bill clients by time (in 6 minute increments).

We’ve had different time recording software over the years which it sounds like it what’s being referred to as new. In the old days you’d just scrawl it on a bit of paper and PAs would input it. Now timers etc make it much easier to track more accurately.

Yes, the major law and accountancy practices/chambers have always done this. They are obsessive about fee recovery. I know a star earner who charges over £700ph so it is absolutely necessary (he is worth it, honestly!)

It's totally sensible as then they can bill clients correctly and maintain KPIs for all operations staff not just lawyers.

Nothing to do with monitoring you, although that will show in your metrics later. If you don't want a job with this then you'll have to move out of the sector.
This shouldn't really stop you 'signing on the dotted line'!