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 analysis of legal work and expenses. TheUTBMS codingwas isproduced reflectedthrough ina legalcollaborative billseffort sentamong fromthe a[[American Bar Association]] Section of Litigation, the [[lawAmerican firmCorporate Counsel Association]], toand itsa group of major [[corporation|corporate]] clients. Lawand firms[[law willfirm]]s usually use coding on timecoordinated and expensessupported forby thosePrice clientsWaterhouse whoLLP explicitly(now request it[[PricewaterhouseCoopers]]).

==Background==

Fees, which are charges for [[attorney]] and [[paralegal|legal assistant]] time, are coded with task and activity codes. Task codes may also be summarized into phase codes, Expenses are coded using a set of expense codes.

UTBMS coding is reflected in legal bills sent from a [[law firm]] to its [[corporation|corporate]] clients. 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 the [[Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard]] (LEDES).

ThereFees, which are fourcharges sets of task codes:for [[Litigationattorney]], Project, Counseling and [[Bankruptcyparalegal|legal assistant]]). Thetime, codesare themselvescoded arewith composedtask ofand aactivity lettercodes. (theThere firstare letterfour sets of the task codecodes: set)[[Litigation]], followedCounseling, byProject aand three-digit number[[Bankruptcy]]. The set used for a given matter (i.e., case or transaction) depends upon the nature of that matter. Therefore,Tasks tasksmay willbe oftensummarized beinto phases. Tasks are often reported without reporting the phase, as this can be deduced from the task. Within a givenThe phase/task code set, a task may be assigned to only one phase. The hieracrchyhierarchy is uniform in the Litigation and Bankruptcy task code sets. In the Project set, only the second phase contains moremultiple then one tasktasks. 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.

There is a single set of activity codes, which is used in conjunction with each of the four task code sets. While phase and task indicate There is also a single set of expense codes, which are independent of phase/task/activity codes.

==Lists of the Codes==

Many clients who use UTBMS also use [[electronic billing]], usually with the [[LEDES]] standard.

''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===

''The following codes are taken from http://www.abanet.org/litigation/utbms/home.html''

*L100 Case Assessment, Development and Administration

**L110 Fact Investigation/Development

**L120 Analysis/Strategy

**L130 Experts/Consultants

**L140 Document/File Management

**L150 Budgeting

**L160 Settlement/Non-Binding ADR

**L190 Other Case Assessment, Development and Administration

*L200 Pre-Trial Pleadings and Motions

**L210 Pleadings

**L220 Preliminary Injunctions/Provisional Remedies

**L230 Court Mandated Conferences

**L240 Dispositive Motions

**L250 Other Written Motions and Submissions

**L260 Class Action Certification and Notice

*L300 Discovery

**L310 Written Discovery

**L320 Document Production

**L330 Depositions

**L340 Expert Discovery

**L350 Discovery Motions

**L390 Other Discovery

*L400 Trial Preparation and Trial

**L410 Fact Witnesses

**L420 Expert Witnesses

**L430 Written Motions and Submissions

**L440 Other Trial Preparation and Support

**L450 Trial and Hearing Attendance

**L460 Post-Trial Motions and Submissions

**L470 Enforcement

*L500 Appeal

**L510 Appellate Motions and Submissions

**L520 Appellate Briefs

**L530 Oral Argument

===Counseling Code Set===

<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>

*C100 Fact Gathering

*C200 Researching Law

*C300 Analysis and Advice

*C400 Third Party Communication

===Project Code Set===

*P100 Project Administration

*P200 Fact Gathering/Due Diligence

**P210 Corporate Review

**P220 Tax

**P230 Environmental

**P240 Real and Personal Property

**P250 Employee/Labor

**P260 Intellectual Property

**P270 Regulatory Reviews

**P280 Other

*P300 Structure/Strategy/Analysis

*P400 Initial Document Preparation/Filing

*P500 Negotiation/Revision/Responses

*P600 Completion/Closing

*P700 Post-Completion/Post-Closing

*P800 Maintenance and Renewal

===Activity Codes===

*A100 Activities

**A101 Plan and prepare for

**A102 Research

**A103 Draft/revise

**A104 Review/analyze

**A105 Communicate (in firm)

**A106 Communicate (with client)

**A107 Communicate (other outside counsel)

**A108 Communicate (other external)

**A109 Appear for/attend

**A110 Manage data/files

**A111 Other

===Expense Codes===

*E100 Expenses

**E101 Copying

**E102 Outside printing

**E103 Word processing

**E104 Facsimile

**E105 Telephone

**E106 Online research

**E107 Delivery services/messengers

**E108 Postage

**E109 Local travel

**E110 Out-of-town travel

**E111 Meals

**E112 Court fees

**E113 Subpoena fees

**E114 Witness fees

**E115 Deposition transcripts

**E116 Trial transcripts

**E117 Trial exhibits

**E118 Litigation support vendors

**E119 Experts

**E120 Private investigators

**E121 Arbitrators/mediators

**E122 Local counsel

**E123 Other professionals

**E124 Other

==ExpenseExternal Codeslink==

*[http://www.abanet.org/litigation/utbms/home.html ABA Section of Litigation Uniform Task-Based Management System Information]

E100 Expenses (this level is a "phase", but seldom used)

*E101 Copying

*E102 Outside printing

*E103 Word processing

*E104 Facsimile

*E105 Telephone

*E106 Online research

*E107 Delivery services/messengers

*E108 Postage

*E109 Local travel

*E110 Out-of-town travel

*E111 Meals

*E112 Courtfees

*E113 Subpoena fees

*E114 Witness fees

*E115 Deposition transcripts

*E116 Trial transcripts

*E117 Trial exhibits

*E118 Litigation support vendors

*E119 Experts

*E120 Private investigators

*E121 Arbitrators/mediators

*E122 Local counsel

*E123 Other professionals

*E124 Other