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Overview

Victoria’s Billing System brings Clio-level billing capabilities to divorce law firms with AI-powered automation. Track time effortlessly, manage expenses, generate professional invoices, and get paid faster with integrated client portal payments.
Every time entry, expense, and invoice is protected by Row Level Security (RLS). Only authorized firm members can access billing data.

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Time Entry System

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AI-Powered Time Logging

Victoria automatically suggests time entries after completing billable work, eliminating the end-of-day scramble to remember what you did. How It Works:
  1. Victoria completes a task (document review, research, drafting)
  2. Prompt appears immediately with suggested time entry
  3. Review and edit hours, description, or rate if needed
  4. One-click logging to billing system
Smart Detection:
  • Automatically triggered for Victoria conversations over 800 tokens
  • Calculates reasonable time based on task complexity
  • Generates professional descriptions suitable for client bills
  • Pre-fills hourly rate from your firm settings
Victoria categorizes time entries into standard legal billing activities:
  • Legal Research - Case law, statutes, legal analysis
  • Document Drafting - Pleadings, motions, agreements
  • Document Review - Discovery, financial docs, evidence
  • Case Analysis - Strategy, case evaluation
  • Discovery Review - Interrogatories, RFPs, depositions
  • Client Communication - Emails, calls, meetings
  • Court Appearance - Hearings, trials, conferences
  • Case Planning - Task generation, deadline management
  • Other - Administrative, research calls, etc.
Each time entry captures:
  • Date - Defaults to today, adjustable
  • Hours - Decimal format (e.g., 0.25 = 15 min, 0.5 = 30 min)
  • Billable Hours - Usually matches total hours unless marked non-billable
  • Hourly Rate - From firm settings or attorney-specific rate
  • Description - AI-generated professional billing narrative
  • Activity Type - Categorization for reporting
  • Billable Flag - Mark as non-billable for internal work
  • Billing Status - Unbilled, billed (invoiced), paid
Add time entries manually for work outside Victoria:
  • Client phone calls
  • Court appearances
  • In-person meetings
  • Email correspondence
  • Administrative tasks
  • Travel time
Access: Case Workspace → Billing Tab → “Add Time Entry”Manual entries support the same fields as AI-generated ones, with full control over description and categorization.
Before Invoicing:
  • Edit any field (hours, description, rate, activity type)
  • Delete entries added by mistake
  • Mark as non-billable if work was internal
After Invoicing:
  • Cannot edit or delete (maintains audit trail)
  • To adjust: create credit memo or modify invoice
  • View which invoice billed the time entry

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Expense Tracking

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Billable Expenses

Track case-related expenses and pass costs through to clients with automatic billability tracking. Common Expense Categories:

Filing Fees

Court filing fees, service of process, certified copies

Expert Witnesses

Expert witness fees, consultant costs, evaluations

Document Production

Copying, printing, scanning, document preparation

Travel

Mileage, parking, tolls, airfare, hotels

Investigation

Private investigator fees, background checks

Technology

Legal research (Westlaw, Lexis), specialized software

Communication

Long distance calls, courier services, postage

Other

Notary fees, transcription, translation services

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Expense Entry Features

Upload Receipts:
  • Drag-and-drop receipt images or PDFs
  • Stored securely in LexVault with RLS protection
  • Accessible when creating invoices
  • Audit trail for bar ethics compliance
Supported Formats: JPG, PNG, PDF, HEIC Max File Size: 10 MB per receipt
Track which expenses have been reimbursed by clients:
  • Unreimbursed - Expense paid by firm, awaiting client payment
  • Billed - Included on client invoice, payment pending
  • Reimbursed - Client paid, expense recovered
View reimbursement status in expense list and reports.
Mark expenses as:
  • Billable - Pass through to client (default)
  • Non-Billable - Firm absorbs cost (e.g., office supplies)
Non-billable expenses still tracked for internal accounting but excluded from client invoices.

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Invoice Generation

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Creating Invoices

Generate professional invoices in seconds with automatic line item population from unbilled time and expenses. Invoice Creation Flow:
  1. Select Client & Case
    • Choose from active cases
    • Client info auto-populated from case
  2. Add Line Items
    • Automatic: Pull unbilled time entries and expenses
    • Manual: Add flat fees, retainers, or custom charges
    • AI Services: Auto-calculated if Victoria was used on case
  3. Set Terms
    • Invoice date (defaults to today)
    • Due date (defaults to Net 30)
    • Payment terms and notes
  4. Client Portal Options
    • Enable client portal access (recommended)
    • Send email notification immediately
    • Allow online payment via Stripe (LawPay coming soon)
  5. Generate & Send
    • Creates invoice with unique number
    • Generates secure client portal link
    • Sends email with payment link (optional)

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Invoice Statuses

Meaning: Invoice created but not sent to clientWhat You Can Do:
  • Edit line items, amounts, dates
  • Add or remove charges
  • Delete invoice entirely
  • Generate preview PDF
Client Cannot: View or pay (not accessible in portal yet)
Meaning: Invoice sent to client via email or portalTracking:
  • Sent timestamp recorded
  • Payment due date active
  • Overdue notifications begin after due date
Client Can: View invoice, leave comments, make paymentYou Can: View who opened it, when, track payment status
Meaning: Client opened invoice in portalVisibility:
  • Viewed timestamp recorded
  • Know client is aware of invoice
  • Useful for follow-up timing
Next Steps: Wait for payment or send gentle reminder
Meaning: Client made partial payment, balance remainsDetails:
  • Shows amount paid and remaining balance
  • Payment history visible in invoice detail
  • Can send reminder for remaining balance
Status Updates: Changes to “Paid” when full amount received
Meaning: Past due date, payment not receivedAutomatic Detection:
  • System checks daily after due date
  • Status changes from “Sent” to “Overdue”
  • Shows days overdue count
Actions Available:
  • Send automated reminder email
  • Update due date if extension granted
  • Apply late fees (if firm policy)
  • Suspend services per engagement letter
Meaning: Invoice cancelled before or after sendingUse Cases:
  • Billing error discovered
  • Case settled before payment
  • Client disputed charges
  • Need to recreate invoice
Effect: Unbills all time entries and expenses, making them available for new invoice

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Line Item Types

Source: Time entries logged by attorneys and staffDisplay Format:
11/09/2024 - Legal Research (2.5 hrs @ $350/hr)
Review case law on child support modification standards in California.
Analyzed In re Marriage of Smith (2023) and prepared memo for file.
Calculation: Hours × Hourly Rate = Line Item AmountGrouping Options:
  • One line per time entry (detailed)
  • Group by date (moderate detail)
  • Group by activity type (summary)
Source: Expense entries with receiptsDisplay Format:
11/05/2024 - Filing Fee
Superior Court filing fee for Response to Petition
$435.00
Markup Options:
  • Pass through at cost (default)
  • Add percentage markup (if permitted by bar)
  • Administrative fee for processing
Receipt Attachment: Viewable in client portal
Source: Victoria AI usage logs (automatic)What It Tracks:
  • Document analysis operations
  • Legal research queries
  • Form generation
  • Financial calculations
  • Discovery assistance
Ethical Billing:
  • Per ABA Opinion 93-379 (AI cost recovery)
  • Transparent breakdown by AI agent
  • Shows operation count and cost
  • Client can see which Victoria features were used
Example:
AI Services - 47 operations

• Co-Counsel Agent: 12 operations ($8.40)
• Discovery Manager: 8 operations ($12.60)
• Financial Analyst: 15 operations ($24.30)
• Document Analysis: 12 operations ($15.20)

Note: Per-case AI usage tracking enables ethical
cost recovery per ABA Opinion 93-379
Auto-Billing: When creating invoice, system finds unbilled AI usage for that case and adds as line item automatically
Use Cases:
  • Uncontested divorce package
  • Document review flat rate
  • Consultation fees
  • Monthly retainer
Entry Fields:
  • Description (e.g., “Uncontested Divorce - Full Service”)
  • Amount (fixed price)
  • Quantity (usually 1, or number of months for retainers)
Types Supported:Advance Fee Retainer:
  • Flat fee for services
  • Earned upon receipt
  • Deposited in operating account
Security Retainer:
  • Held in trust account
  • Applied against future invoices
  • Refundable if unused
Description Example:
Initial Retainer - Family Law Services
Covers initial case analysis, pleading preparation,
and court appearance for Case No. FL-2024-1234

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Client Portal Integration

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How Clients View Invoices

When you enable client portal for an invoice, Victoria generates a secure, tokenized link that clients can access without logging in. Client Portal Features:

Secure Access

  • Unique token per invoice
  • No password required
  • Expires in 90 days
  • View-only access

Invoice Details

  • Full invoice with line items
  • Professional PDF generation
  • Breakdown by date/activity
  • Receipt attachment viewing

Comments

  • Ask questions about charges
  • Request clarification
  • Visible to entire legal team
  • Real-time notifications

Online Payment

  • Pay via credit/debit card
  • ACH bank transfer
  • Stripe integration (LawPay coming soon)
  • Instant payment confirmation

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Payment Processing

Integrated Payment Providers:
Modern Payment Processing - Currently Available
  • Best For: All payment types - flat fees, retainers, invoices, and firm-earned fees
  • Fees: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (credit/debit), 0.8% capped at $5 (ACH)
  • Payouts: 2-day transfer to business bank account
  • Features: Credit cards, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Setup:
  1. Create Stripe account at stripe.com
  2. Complete business verification
  3. Add Stripe API keys to Victoria Settings → Integrations
  4. Enable ACH for lower-cost bank payments
Security:
  • PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant
  • No card data touches your servers
  • 3D Secure fraud protection
  • Automatic receipt generation
Client Experience:
  • Seamless in-portal payment
  • Multiple payment methods
  • Instant confirmation
  • Download receipt PDF

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Email Notifications

Automated Email Flow:
  1. Invoice Created
    • If “Send Email” enabled
    • Sent to client email on file
    • Contains portal link
    • Professional PDF attachment option
  2. Email Content: 
    Subject: Invoice #INV-2024-0147 from [Your Firm Name]

Dear [Client Name],

You have a new invoice for $[Amount] due on [Due Date].

View and pay your invoice securely:
[Portal Link Button]

This link will expire in 90 days for security.

If you have questions about this invoice, you can leave
a comment in the portal and we'll respond promptly.

Thank you,
[Your Firm Name]
  3. Payment Reminders
    • Automatic: 7 days before due date
    • Automatic: 3 days after due date
    • Manual: Send reminder anytime
  4. Payment Confirmation
    • Sent immediately upon payment
    • Includes receipt and invoice PDF
    • Payment method and amount

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Financial Dashboard

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Real-Time Billing Metrics

The Billing Tab in each case workspace shows: Summary Cards:

Unbilled Time

**3,450.00∗∗12.5hours@avg3,450.00** 12.5 hours @ avg 276/hr Ready to invoice

Outstanding

$8,200.00 3 unpaid invoices 1 overdue by 5 days

Collected

$15,750.00 6 paid invoices Avg 12 days to payment
Detailed Views:
Unbilled Time Tracking:
  • Filter by attorney, date range, activity type
  • Sort by date, hours, amount
  • Bulk select for invoicing
  • Export to CSV
  • Edit before billing
Billed Time History:
  • Which invoice billed each entry
  • Payment status
  • Date billed and date paid
  • Realization rate (billed ÷ standard rate)

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Trust Accounting

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IOLTA Compliance

Victoria tracks trust account transactions with built-in safeguards for bar compliance. Trust Account Features:
Individual Client Tracking:
  • Separate ledger per client
  • All deposits and withdrawals
  • Current balance by client
  • Transaction history with descriptions
Three-Way Reconciliation:
  • Bank balance
  • Trust ledger total
  • Sum of client ledgers
  • Must match to the penny
Security Retainers:
  • Deposited to trust upon receipt
  • Held until fees earned
  • Applied against invoices automatically
  • Refund balance if unused
Application Process:
  1. Client pays retainer via portal
  2. Routed to trust account (Stripe now, LawPay automatic routing coming soon)
  3. Added to client’s trust ledger
  4. When invoice generated, prompt to apply trust funds
  5. Transfer from trust to operating (earned)
  6. Client ledger reduced by amount applied
ABA Model Rule 1.15 Compliance:When Fees Become Earned:
  • Invoice sent to client
  • Reasonable notice period (usually 30 days)
  • No client objection
  • Transfer to operating account
Victoria’s Workflow:
  1. Generate invoice
  2. Check client trust balance
  3. Prompt: “Apply $[amount] from trust?”
  4. If yes: create trust transfer record
  5. Move funds from trust to operating
  6. Update client ledger
  7. Mark invoice as paid from trust
  8. Send confirmation to client
Every Transaction Logged:
  • Date and time
  • User who initiated
  • Amount and direction (deposit/withdrawal)
  • Source (client payment, earned fee, refund)
  • Invoice or case reference
  • Bank transaction ID
Bar Audit Reports:
  • Monthly reconciliation statements
  • Client ledger detail by date range
  • Trust transaction journal
  • Overdrawn client warnings
  • Stale trust balance reports (>3 years)

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Row Level Security (RLS)

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Data Access Controls

Time Entries:
  • ✅ Attorneys can see all firm time entries
  • ✅ Staff can see only their own time entries
  • ❌ Clients cannot see time entries (only invoiced totals)
Expenses:
  • ✅ Attorneys can see all firm expenses
  • ✅ Staff can see only their own expenses
  • ❌ Clients cannot see expense detail (only invoiced totals)
Invoices:
  • ✅ Attorneys can see all firm invoices
  • ✅ Staff can see invoices for their assigned cases
  • ✅ Clients can see only their own invoices (via portal token)
Payments:
  • ✅ Attorneys and firm admins can see all payments
  • ✅ Bookkeepers can see payment details for reconciliation
  • ✅ Clients can see payment history for their invoices

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Ethical Billing

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ABA Guidelines

Victoria’s billing system is designed around ABA Model Rules and ethics opinions:
Reasonable Fees:
  • Time tracking shows actual work performed
  • Activity descriptions provide transparency
  • AI cost recovery limited to actual cost (per Opinion 93-379)
Fee Communication:
  • Client portal shows detailed breakdown
  • Comments allow client questions
  • Professional descriptions (no legalese)
Factors Considered:
  • Time and labor required (tracked automatically)
  • Novelty and difficulty (activity type)
  • Skill required (attorney vs. staff rates)
  • Results obtained (case outcome notes)
ABA Formal Opinion 93-379 (Updated 2023):“Lawyers may bill clients for expenses related to generative AI services, provided:”
  1. Actual Cost - Bill only what you’re charged, no markup
  2. Transparency - Disclose AI use and costs to clients
  3. Reasonable - AI cost should benefit client (efficiency, accuracy)
  4. Per-Case Tracking - Allocate AI costs to specific matters
Victoria’s Compliance:
  • ✅ Tracks AI cost per case
  • ✅ Provides transparent breakdown by agent
  • ✅ Bills at cost (no markup)
  • ✅ Shows operation count and description
  • ✅ Client can see which AI features used
Safekeeping Property:
  • Complete trust accounting records
  • Separate trust and operating accounts
  • Prompt notice of receipt
  • Prompt delivery when earned/due
Victoria’s Controls:
  • Separate ledgers for each client
  • Three-way reconciliation
  • Audit trail for every transaction
  • Client-accessible trust balance
  • Automatic overdrawn warnings
Minimum Increments:
  • Industry standard: 0.1 hours (6 minutes)
  • Victoria supports decimal precision
  • Common: 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0
Activity Descriptions:
  • What was done (not how long it took)
  • Specific enough to justify charge
  • Professional language
  • Avoid excessive detail (security risk)
Non-Billable Time:
  • Clerical/administrative work
  • Learning new software
  • Billing/collections
  • Correcting own errors

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Billing Automation

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Time-Saving Features

Auto Time Entry Prompts

Victoria suggests time entries after completing work. No end-of-day scramble to remember what you did.

AI Usage Auto-Billing

Automatically calculates unbilled AI costs and adds line item to invoices. Ethical AI cost recovery.

Invoice Templates

Pre-configured invoice layouts with firm branding. One-click PDF generation.

Payment Reminders

Automatic email reminders before and after due dates. Reduces collection time.

Bulk Actions

Select multiple time entries or expenses to invoice at once. Fast month-end billing.

Recurring Invoices

Set up monthly retainer invoices that generate automatically. No manual entry needed.

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Reports & Analytics

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Financial Insights

Available Reports:
Accounts Receivable Aging:
  • Current (0-30 days)
  • 31-60 days
  • 61-90 days
  • 90+ days overdue
Collection Metrics:
  • Average days to payment
  • Collection rate by client
  • Write-off tracking
  • Bad debt reserves

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Best Practices

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Law Firm Billing Tips

1

Log Time Daily

Don’t wait until end of month. Victoria’s AI prompts make it easy to log time immediately after completing work. Accuracy increases, revenue capture improves.
2

Detailed Descriptions

Generic descriptions like “Legal research” lose money. Be specific: “Reviewed CA case law on child support modification standards for income changes.” Clients understand value, less likely to dispute.
3

Invoice Promptly

Send invoices within 7 days of month-end. Faster invoicing = faster payment. Victoria makes it easy with one-click invoice generation from unbilled time.
4

Enable Client Portal

Clients who can view invoices online pay 40% faster on average. Comments reduce disputes. Online payment removes friction. Always enable portal unless client specifically requests paper.
5

Follow Up on Overdue

Send gentle reminder at 7 days overdue. Firm but professional at 30 days. Consider payment plans for large bills. Victoria tracks all communication in case timeline.
6

Review Realization Rates

If you’re writing down billable hours before sending invoices, you’re leaving money on the table. Target 90%+ realization. Victoria’s AI descriptions help justify full rates.
7

Reconcile Trust Monthly

Don’t wait for bar audit. Monthly three-way reconciliation catches errors early. Victoria’s trust reports make this a 10-minute task.
8

Use Activity Types

Categorizing time entries enables powerful reporting. Discover which activities are most profitable, where you spend the most time, and where staff can take over.

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Client Portal Experience

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What Clients See

When clients click their secure invoice link:
  1. Invoice Header
    • Your firm name and logo
    • Invoice number and date
    • Due date (with countdown if close)
    • Total amount due
  2. Case Information
    • Case name and number
    • Client name
    • Case type and jurisdiction
  3. Line Item Detail
    • Date of each activity
    • Professional description
    • Attorney/staff name
    • Hours and rate (if time entry)
    • Amount for each line
  4. Subtotal and Totals
    • Subtotal
    • Expenses subtotal
    • Tax (if applicable)
    • Total Amount Due
  5. Action Buttons
    • 💬 Leave a Comment (ask questions)
    • 💳 Pay Now (credit card, ACH)
    • 📄 Download PDF (professional invoice)
    • 📧 Email Copy (send to spouse/accountant)
  6. Payment Options
    • Credit/Debit Card
    • Bank Account (ACH)
    • Trust Account Credit (if on file)
    • Payment plan request

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Getting Started

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Setup Checklist

1

Configure Firm Settings

Settings → Billing
  • Default hourly rates by role
  • Invoice numbering format
  • Payment terms (Net 30, etc.)
  • Trust account bank info
  • Tax rate (if applicable)
2

Connect Payment Provider

Settings → Integrations → Payments
  • Add Stripe API keys (available now)
  • Enable ACH for lower-cost payments (0.8%, max $5)
  • Test with $1 transaction
  • LawPay integration coming soon for automatic trust/operating routing
3

Customize Invoice Template

Settings → Billing → Invoice Template
  • Upload firm logo
  • Add firm address and contact
  • Customize color scheme
  • Add payment instructions
  • Set email signature
4

Import Existing Clients

Clients → Import
  • CSV upload with client list
  • Maps to: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone
  • Bulk import saves setup time
5

Train Your Team

Team Meeting:
  • Show time entry prompt workflow
  • Explain activity types
  • Demo expense entry with receipts
  • Practice invoice generation
  • Review client portal features
6

Start Logging Time

First Week:
  • Let Victoria prompt time entries
  • Manually add non-Victoria work
  • Review descriptions for professionalism
  • Check unbilled time in Billing tab
7

Generate First Invoice

Month-End:
  • Select case with unbilled time
  • Create invoice
  • Review line items
  • Enable client portal
  • Send to client
  • Monitor payment status

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FAQs

No. Time entries are internal only until you add them to an invoice. Clients only see aggregated line items on invoices, never your raw time logs.This lets you edit descriptions, adjust hours, or delete entries before sending to clients.
You can’t. Once a time entry is billed (added to an invoice), it cannot be edited or deleted. This preserves audit trail and prevents accounting errors.To correct: Create a credit memo, void the invoice and recreate it, or add an adjustment line item.
Victoria tracks every AI operation (document analysis, legal research, form generation) and calculates the actual API cost based on:
  • Tokens used (GPT-4, Claude, etc.)
  • Model pricing from OpenAI/Anthropic
  • Victoria’s cost per operation
When creating an invoice, it sums unbilled AI usage for that case and adds a transparent line item showing operation count, breakdown by agent, and total cost.Ethical Note: Victoria bills AI at cost per ABA Opinion 93-379. No markup, full transparency.
Yes, two ways:
  1. Adjust before invoicing - Edit time entries to reduce hours or rates, then invoice. Client never sees original amount.
  2. Discount line item - Invoice at full amount, then add negative line item: “Professional courtesy discount - 10%”. Shows transparency.
Best practice: Adjust time entries before invoicing if it’s a write-down. Use discount line if it’s a promotional/courtesy reduction.
Option 1: Manual Payment Entry
  1. Receive check
  2. Deposit to bank
  3. Go to invoice → “Record Payment”
  4. Enter amount, date, payment method: “Check”
  5. Add check number in notes
Option 2: Trust Account Application
  • If client has trust balance
  • Apply trust funds to invoice
  • Victoria automatically updates trust ledger
Receipt: Client receives payment confirmation via email with PDF receipt.
Yes! Dashboard → Aging Report shows:
  • Invoices due in next 7 days
  • Overdue by 1-30 days
  • Overdue by 31-60 days
  • Seriously overdue (60+ days)
You can send automated reminders to all “due in 7 days” with one click.
Built-in Dispute Resolution:
  1. Client leaves comment on invoice in portal
  2. You receive notification immediately
  3. Respond in comment thread (visible to client)
  4. If agreed to adjust: void invoice, recreate with changes
  5. If disagreement: document in case notes, escalate if needed
Best Practice: Respond within 24 hours. Most disputes are misunderstandings about descriptions. Clear communication resolves 90% of issues.
Technically yes, Victoria supports 0.01 hour increments.But you shouldn’t. Industry standard is 0.1 hours (6 minutes). Billing in 1-minute increments looks petty and invites scrutiny.Best Practice:
  • 0-3 minutes: No charge (de minimis)
  • 4-9 minutes: 0.1 hours
  • 10-15 minutes: 0.25 hours
  • Round up for client benefit
CSV Export:
  • Billing Tab → Export
  • Select date range
  • Choose: Time Entries, Expenses, Invoices, or Payments
  • Download CSV
  • Import to accounting software
Direct Integration (Coming Soon):
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Xero
  • FreshBooks
  • Two-way sync

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Support

Need help with billing? We’re here:
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Live Chat: Click support icon in bottom right
  • Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm PT
  • Response Time: Less than 2 hours during business hours
Common Requests:
  • Payment provider setup assistance
  • Trust accounting reconciliation help
  • Invoice template customization
  • Bulk import of historical data
  • Bar audit report generation