Legal AI can make research, drafting, review, and analysis faster, but firms still need an accurate record of the lawyer work surrounding those tasks. When lawyers move quickly between AI tools, documents, email, meetings, and client matters, small pieces of billable work can be difficult to reconstruct later.
What AI Assisted Work Needs to Be Captured?
The important record is the professional work performed for the client matter. Depending on the workflow, that may include:
Reviewing AI generated research or analysis
Checking authorities and source materials
Revising AI assisted drafts
Reviewing documents related to the task
Sending follow up emails
Participating in related meetings or calls
Applying legal judgment before work is delivered
The time entry should describe the legal work clearly instead of simply stating that an AI tool was used.
Why Traditional Timekeeping Can Miss This Work
AI assisted workflows can involve many short actions across different systems. A lawyer may move from a browser to a document, then to email, then back to a client matter within a short period.
When timekeeping depends on remembering those activities at the end of the day, short tasks can disappear and descriptions can become vague. Activity-based capture can provide additional work signals for review, but completeness and accuracy depend on the connected sources, configuration, source quality, and lawyer review.
Why Lawyer Review Still Matters
AI can help organize activity and draft a time entry, but the lawyer should still confirm the matter, duration, description, and any required billing code.
A review step helps ensure the entry reflects the work actually performed and is appropriate for the client. MIRA supports review and editing of captured time before entries are released to connected billing systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is time spent using legal AI billable?
Whether AI-assisted work is billable depends on applicable law and professional obligations, the engagement terms, client billing guidelines, firm policy, the nature of the work, and whether the fee is reasonable. Firms should seek qualified guidance for jurisdiction-specific questions. Firms should review those requirements rather than assuming every AI assisted activity is billable.
How should lawyers describe AI assisted work in a time entry?
The description should focus on the legal task and purpose, such as reviewing authorities, revising a draft, analyzing an issue, or preparing client advice.
Can automatic time capture help with AI assisted legal work?
Yes. Activity based capture can help surface work across websites, documents, email, meetings, and other digital activity so the lawyer has a stronger record to review.
Should AI automatically submit legal time entries?
A review step is valuable. Lawyers should be able to confirm and edit the matter, duration, narrative, and billing codes before an entry moves forward.
