UTBMS Code Reference
The complete guide to Uniform Task-Based Management System codes. Understand what each phase and activity code means for your legal billing.
What are UTBMS Codes?
UTBMS (Uniform Task-Based Management System) codes are a standardized set of codes used to classify legal tasks and activities on invoices. They enable in-house legal teams to track spending by type of work, compare costs across firms, and enforce billing guidelines. UTBMS codes are organized into phases (high-level categories of work) and tasks/activities (specific actions within each phase).
activity
Planning & Analysis Activities
The A100 series defines specific activity types that describe how time was spent, as opposed to phase codes that describe what stage of a matter the work belongs to. These codes are used alongside phase codes to provide granular detail on the nature of legal work performed.
View codes arrow_forwardCommunication Activities
The A200 series covers all communication activities, categorized by the party communicated with. These codes distinguish between internal firm communications, client communications, opposing counsel contacts, and interactions with courts, vendors, and witnesses.
View codes arrow_forwardDocument & Data Activities
The A300 series covers activities related to document creation, review, management, and production, including e-discovery processing. These codes provide detail on the specific document-handling activities performed during a matter.
View codes arrow_forwardCourt & Hearing Activities
The A400 series covers activities involving attendance at or participation in court proceedings, hearings, depositions, and alternative dispute resolution sessions. These codes capture time spent in formal proceedings as opposed to preparation time.
View codes arrow_forwardbankruptcy
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litigation
Fact Investigation & Development
The L100 series covers all early-stage litigation activities, from initial fact gathering through strategic analysis and budgeting. These codes apply when attorneys are assessing potential claims or defenses, gathering evidence, engaging experts, and developing case strategy before formal pleadings are filed.
View codes arrow_forwardPre-Trial Pleadings & Motions
The L200 series covers the formal initiation and early procedural phases of litigation, including drafting and filing complaints, answers, motions to dismiss, preliminary injunctions, and dispositive motions. These codes apply once litigation has been commenced through formal pleadings.
View codes arrow_forwardDiscovery
The L300 series covers all discovery-related activities, from written discovery and document production through depositions, expert discovery, and e-discovery. This is typically the most expensive phase of litigation and requires the closest scrutiny during invoice review.
View codes arrow_forwardTrial Preparation & Trial
The L400 and L500 series cover all activities related to preparing for and conducting a trial, from witness preparation and exhibit assembly through jury selection, trial proceedings, and post-trial motions. These phases represent the culmination of litigation and carry the highest daily billing rates.
View codes arrow_forwardAppeal
The L600 series covers all appellate proceedings, from brief writing and oral argument preparation through post-decision activities. Appellate work is typically handled by specialized attorneys and involves distinct billing patterns from trial-level litigation.
View codes arrow_forwardproject
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Why Proper UTBMS Coding Matters
Without standardized coding, legal invoices become opaque. Law firms can obscure how time is actually spent, making it impossible to benchmark, compare, or audit. UTBMS codes bring transparency to the billing process — but only if they are consistently and correctly applied.
Read: The Honor System in Legal Billing arrow_forward