Overview
Smart Time Finder is an AI-powered feature within MyCase legal practice management software that automatically identifies and captures time that would otherwise go unbilled, scanning emails, calendar appointments, and case activities to suggest billable time entries.
Impact Statistics
Customers who used the Smart Time Finder tool in 2023:
- Captured an additional 579,665 hours collectively
- Represented approximately $22,425 in additional billable hours per lawyer
- Reduced revenue leakage significantly
- Improved billing completeness
Revenue Recovery
For the average lawyer billing at standard rates, this represents substantial recovered revenue that would have been lost without automated time capture.
How It Works
Automated Scanning
Smart Time Finder continuously monitors:
- Email communications related to cases
- Calendar appointments and meetings
- Case file activities
- Document review and editing
- Phone calls (when logged)
- Other case-related activities
AI Analysis
The tool uses artificial intelligence to:
- Identify billable activities
- Associate activities with correct cases
- Suggest appropriate time entries
- Categorize work types
- Estimate time spent
User Workflow
- Smart Time Finder identifies potential billable time
- Suggests time entry with details pre-filled
- Lawyer reviews and approves
- Time entry added to case with one click
- Ready for invoicing
Key Benefits
Revenue Protection
- Captures time that would otherwise be lost
- Identifies billing opportunities in daily work
- Reduces the "billing gap" from forgotten activities
- Maximizes billable hour recovery
Time Savings
- Eliminates manual time entry for many activities
- Pre-fills entry details
- Reduces end-of-day time reconstruction
- Streamlines billing workflow
Accuracy Improvement
- Captures time close to when work occurred
- Reduces estimation errors
- Provides context for time entries
- Improves billing documentation
Integration with MyCase
Seamless Workflow
Smart Time Finder works within MyCase's ecosystem:
- Integrates with email
- Connects to calendar
- Links to case management
- Flows to billing and invoicing
- Syncs across all MyCase features
Legal-Specific Features
Designed for law firm needs:
- Client matter association
- Attorney assignment
- Task code categorization
- Billing rate application
- Trust vs operating account handling
Addressing the Time Tracking Problem
The Billing Gap
The ABA has estimated that legal professionals lose up to 10 percent of billable hours to time tracking errors. Smart Time Finder directly addresses this issue.
Common Lost Time
- Brief email responses
- Quick phone calls
- Document reviews
- Research time
- Case planning
- Administrative case work
Best Practices
Maximizing Value
- Review Smart Time Finder suggestions daily
- Approve legitimate billable time promptly
- Adjust time estimates as needed
- Add detail to auto-generated entries
- Track patterns of missed time
Workflow Integration
Make Smart Time Finder review part of:
- End of day routine
- Weekly billing preparation
- Monthly invoice generation
- Regular case updates
Target Users
Solo practitioners, small to mid-sized law firms, busy attorneys with high caseloads, and any legal professional using MyCase who wants to maximize billable hour capture and reduce revenue leakage.
