What is billable time?

• A. The amount of attorney or paralegal time, often recorded in increments (e.g., 0.1 hour), charged to the client's account
• B. Time spent on marketing
• C. Time spent in training
• D. Time billed by vendors

Answer: (A)

Billable time is the hours lawyers and paralegals spend on work for a specific client that the firm charges the client for. Firms track this work in small increments, like 0.1 hour, so invoices are clear and consistent. This time reflects actual client-facing tasks such as researching, drafting, or meeting with the client. Non-billable activities—like marketing, internal training, or time spent on vendors—aren’t charged to the client. So the best answer identifies the time spent on client work that gets billed, recorded in precise increments for invoicing.