Uniform Task-Based Management System: Difference between revisions

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The '''Uniform Task-Based Management System''' ('''UTBMS''') is a set of codes designed to standardize categorization and facilitate the analysis of legal work and expenses. UTBMS was produced through a collaborative effort among the [[American Bar Association]] Section of Litigation, the [[American Corporate Counsel Association]], and a group of major [[corporation|corporate]] clients and [[law firm]]s coordinated and supported by Price Waterhouse LLP (now [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]]). UTBMS codes are now maintained and developed by the [[Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard]] (LEDES) Oversight Committee.

==Background==

UTBMS coding is reflected in legal bills sent from a [[law firm]] to its [[corporation|corporate]] clients.<ref>{{Citation |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Uniform Task-Based Management System |publisher=American Bar Association |url=http://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/resources/uniform_task_based_management_system.html |accessdateaccess-date=27 Feb 2016 | quote=The Uniform Task-Based Management System enables lawyers to budget and bill by litigation task, aiding client and counsel in understanding, managing and conducting litigations. }}</ref> Law firms will usually use coding on time and expenses only for those clients who explicitly request it. Most clients who use UTBMS also require [[electronic billing]], usually with an invoice in a LEDES e-billing format.

Fees, which are charges for [[Lawyer|attorney]] and [[paralegal|legal assistant]] time charges, are coded with task and activity codes. There are five sets of task codes: [[Litigation]], Intellectual Property, Counseling, Project and [[Bankruptcy]]. The set used for a given matter (i.e., case or transaction) depends upon the nature of that matter. Tasks may be summarized into phases. Tasks are often reported without reporting the phase, as this can be deduced from the task. The phase/task hierarchy is uniform in the Litigation, Intellectual Property and Bankruptcy task code sets. In the Project set, only the second phase contains multiple tasks. The Counseling set has only a single level. (In such situations, a code may be considered both a phase and a task, and it may be necessary to program the time and billing software this way.) There is a single set of activity codes, which is used in conjunction with each of the four task code sets. There is also a single set of expense codes, which are independent of phase, task and activity codes.

The codes themselves are composed of a letter (the first letter of the task code set), followed by a three-digit number. Tasks sharing the same letter and first digit belong to the same phase.

From time-to-time, the LEDES Oversight Committee (LOC), the administrative body that oversees these codes, adds and changes codes. In 2007, a set of Intellectual Property codes (for patents and trademarks) were finalized and ratified. <ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20071023005247/en/Legal-Electronic-Data-Exchange-Standard-LEDES-Finalizes|title = News}}</ref> In 2011, a set of "eDiscovery" codes were ratified.<ref>{{Citation |last=Roach |first=Michael |date=20 Sep 2012 |title=LEDES Adds Activity, Expense to E-Discovery Billing Codes | work=EDD Update |publisher=ALM | url= http://www.eddupdate.com/2012/09/ledes-adds-activity-expense-to-e-discovery-billing-codes-.html | accessdateaccess-date=27 Feb 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=UTBMS eDiscovery Code Set |publisher=EDRM |publication-place= |page= |url=http://www.edrm.net/projects/metrics/utbms |accessdateaccess-date=27 Feb 2016 | quote=The LEDES Oversight Committee (LOC) Uniform Task Based Management System (UTBMS) eDiscovery Code Set, ratified in 2011, is based on the EDRM Metrics Code set. }}</ref> In 2015, the LOC ratified a set of Governance, Risk and Compliance codes based on the Open Compliance & Ethics Group (OCEG) GRC Capability Model.

==Lists of the Codes==

<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.abanet.org/litigation/utbms/home.html| title=Practice Tools - Uniform Task-Based Management System | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612193103/http://www.abanet.org/litigation/utbms/home.html | archive-date=2009-06-12}}</ref>

''The code lists are taken from http://www.abanet.org/litigation/utbms/home.html, which has the following Disclaimer & Copyright message:''

<small>''The authors hereby grant permission to use the codes and related definitions, in whole or in part, on a non-exclusive, royalty-free basis. In addition, this document may be freely reproduced and distributed in any electronic or hardcopy medium, on a nonexclusive, royalty-free basis, provided that this reproduction and distribution are not for profit, and that this title page is included in its entirety.''</small>

===Litigation Code Set===

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**PA430 Official Communication - Domestic

**PA440 Quasi-Judicial Administrative Proceedings - Domestic

**PA499 Other [[Patent prosecution|Patent Prosecution]] - Domestic

*PA500 International Patent Preparation

**PA510 Provisional Application Preparation - International

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**TR770 Quasi-Judicial Administrative Proceedings - Domain Names

**TR799 Other Trademark Prosecution

<ref>{{cite web| url=http://utbms.com/download/545/| title=UTBMS Trademark Billing Codes | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624005104/http://utbms.com/download/545/ | archive-date=2016-06-24}}</ref>

<ref>http://utbms.com/download/545/</ref>

===Activity Codes===

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**X118 Eviction Costs

**X119 Foreclosure Costs

**X120 [[Title insurance|Title Insurance]] Costs

**X121 Immigration Costs

**X122 Late Fees