UTBMS Code L220 — Preliminary Injunctions/Restraining Orders
Preparation and prosecution of applications for temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and emergency relief before trial. This code covers expedited motion practice requiring immediate court intervention.
schedule When This Code Is Used
When urgent circumstances require the court to act before full trial proceedings, such as preventing imminent harm, preserving the status quo, or enforcing contractual obligations on an emergency basis.
warning Common Billing Violations
Exploiting the urgency of injunctive relief to justify inflated hours without scrutiny, billing weekend and overtime premiums unnecessarily
Having excessive numbers of attorneys work on an emergency filing that could be handled by a focused team of two or three
Billing for extensive legal research on well-established injunction standards that should be within the firm's core competency
Continuing to bill L220 hours after the emergency phase has concluded when work should be recoded to L240 or L250
timer Typical Hours
Emergency TRO: 15-40 hours. Preliminary injunction with evidentiary hearing: 40-120 hours. Complex injunctive proceedings: 80-200+ hours.
flag Red Flags to Watch For
L220 billing exceeding the total hours for the underlying L210 pleadings by a factor of 3 or more
Multiple attorneys billing 12+ hour days on an emergency filing without clear role differentiation
Significant L220 hours appearing after the court has ruled on the injunction request
Billing for mock arguments or extensive moot sessions on an emergency motion
check_circle Best Practices for Review
Require a staffing plan even for emergency filings, identifying who drafts, who researches, and who argues
Establish that emergency premiums or overtime billing requires prior client approval
Cap the number of attorneys who may bill for an emergency filing without written justification
Verify that L220 entries end when the injunction ruling is issued and do not bleed into other phases
link Related Codes
analytics Key Statistics
Emergency injunction proceedings cost 2-3x more per hour billed than standard motions due to urgency premiums and accelerated timelines
Source: BTI Consulting Group, 2023
Preliminary injunction motions succeed approximately 40-50% of the time, making cost-benefit analysis critical for in-house teams
Source: Federal Judicial Center Empirical Research, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What does UTBMS code L220 cover for injunctions? expand_more
UTBMS code L220 covers preparation and prosecution of temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and emergency relief applications. This code applies to expedited motion practice requiring immediate court intervention to prevent harm or preserve the status quo.
Why are L220 injunction costs often inflated? expand_more
The urgency of injunctive relief creates conditions for billing inflation. Firms may justify excessive hours citing time pressure, staff too many attorneys on emergency filings, bill weekend premiums unnecessarily, and charge for research on well-established injunction standards.
How should in-house teams manage L220 emergency motion costs? expand_more
Set pre-approved budgets for injunctive relief work with defined staffing limits. Require that only essential personnel bill to L220, typically two to three attorneys. Challenge weekend premiums unless the emergency genuinely required off-hours work and compare costs to historical benchmarks.