UTBMS Code L360 — e-Discovery
Electronic discovery activities including data collection, processing, hosting, technology-assisted review, and production of electronically stored information. This covers the technology-intensive side of modern discovery.
schedule When This Code Is Used
When electronically stored information must be collected, processed, loaded into review platforms, and managed throughout the discovery process. This includes technology-assisted review setup, search term development, and e-discovery vendor management.
warning Common Billing Violations
Billing attorney time for 'e-discovery management' alongside separate vendor invoices for the same processing work, creating double charges
Charging partner rates for technical e-discovery tasks that e-discovery specialists or vendor staff should handle
Over-billing for search term development and testing when predictive coding or TAR would be more efficient
Billing L360 hours that overlap with L320 (Document Production) and L380 (Discovery Review), triple-billing the same activity
timer Typical Hours
Small ESI collection: 10-30 hours. Mid-size e-discovery program: 40-150 hours. Large-scale ESI management: 100-500+ hours of attorney time plus vendor costs.
flag Red Flags to Watch For
Attorney e-discovery hours that exceed 20% of the total vendor spend, suggesting over-management
Partner-level billing for technical e-discovery tasks like data processing oversight
L360 attorney entries that duplicate work described in e-discovery vendor invoices
No vendor involvement in a matter with significant ESI volumes, suggesting attorneys are performing technical work at attorney rates
check_circle Best Practices for Review
Cross-reference L360 attorney time entries against e-discovery vendor invoices to identify overlap
Require that technical processing tasks be handled by vendors at per-gigabyte rates, not by attorneys
Establish that attorney e-discovery time is limited to legal decisions (privilege calls, relevance criteria) not technical management
Set a budget for L360 attorney time as a ratio of total vendor spend
link Related Codes
analytics Key Statistics
E-discovery costs average $18,000-$30,000 per gigabyte when including collection, processing, review, and production
Source: EDRM Survey on Discovery Costs, 2024
Early case assessment and data culling reduce e-discovery costs by 40-60% by eliminating irrelevant data before processing
Source: Gartner Legal Technology Survey, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What does UTBMS code L360 cover for e-discovery? expand_more
UTBMS code L360 covers electronic discovery activities including ESI identification, preservation, collection, processing, hosting, and production. It addresses the technology-intensive aspects of modern discovery that go beyond traditional document review under L320.
How do you control e-discovery costs under L360? expand_more
Negotiate fixed-fee arrangements for processing and hosting. Require competitive vendor bids for e-discovery platforms. Mandate early case assessment to reduce data volumes before processing. Set per-gigabyte cost benchmarks and challenge markups on vendor pass-through charges.
What billing violations are common for e-discovery under L360? expand_more
Common violations include excessive attorney rates for technical e-discovery management that specialists should handle, hidden vendor markups, processing the same data multiple times due to poor planning, and billing for platform hosting fees well beyond the active discovery period.