UTBMS Code L140 — Document Collection
Systematic gathering, cataloging, and initial review of documents relevant to the matter from the client and third-party sources. This covers pre-discovery document collection, including litigation hold implementation and document inventory.
schedule When This Code Is Used
When the legal team is implementing litigation holds, collecting documents from custodians, organizing initial document sets, and creating inventories of available evidence before formal discovery begins.
warning Common Billing Violations
Billing attorney rates for document collection tasks that are primarily logistical and should be handled by litigation support staff
Over-billing for litigation hold notices by having multiple attorneys review a standard hold template
Charging for re-collection of documents due to poor initial collection protocols, effectively billing twice for the same work
Block billing collection activities with substantive document review to inflate the apparent value of the work
timer Typical Hours
Small matters: 5-15 hours. Mid-size with multiple custodians: 20-60 hours. Large-scale collection: 50-200+ hours.
flag Red Flags to Watch For
L140 hours approaching or exceeding L320 (Document Production) hours, suggesting collection was inefficient or over-staffed
Senior attorneys billing significant hours for document collection logistics that support staff should manage
Collection activities extending beyond the pre-discovery phase without explanation
Multiple rounds of collection from the same custodians, suggesting poor planning
check_circle Best Practices for Review
Require a collection plan before work begins, with estimated custodian count and data volumes
Mandate that logistical collection tasks be billed at paralegal or litigation support rates
Establish that litigation hold template creation is a one-time cost, not rebilled for each custodian
Cross-reference L140 hours with the volume of documents actually collected to assess efficiency
link Related Codes
analytics Key Statistics
Data collection and preservation costs represent 15-25% of total e-discovery spend in large litigation matters
Source: EDRM (Electronic Discovery Reference Model) Survey, 2024
Organizations that implement standardized litigation hold processes reduce collection costs by an average of 30%
Source: Gartner Legal Technology Survey, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What does UTBMS code L140 cover for document collection? expand_more
UTBMS code L140 covers systematic gathering, cataloging, and initial review of documents from the client and third parties before formal discovery. This includes implementing litigation holds, collecting from custodians, organizing initial document sets, and creating evidence inventories.
How do you control document collection costs under L140? expand_more
Control L140 costs by requiring a collection plan before work begins with estimated custodian counts and data volumes. Mandate that logistical tasks be billed at paralegal rates. Establish litigation hold template creation as a one-time cost and cross-reference hours with actual documents collected.
What billing violations are common for L140 document collection? expand_more
Common L140 violations include billing attorney rates for logistical collection tasks, over-billing for litigation hold notices by having multiple attorneys review standard templates, charging for re-collection due to poor initial protocols, and block billing collection with substantive review.