Legal invoice template you can fill in online

Reviewed in November 2026

A legal invoice tells a client what a matter has cost so far. Professional fees go by the hour or by hearing. Court fees and stamp paper go on their own lines at actual cost. The sheet above opens with the lines an advocate in Delhi bills most often.

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Legal invoice

Invoice no.

Issue date

Due in (days)

Currency

From

Bill to

Address, phone, tax ID

Client address, tax ID

21,000.00

45,000.00

7,500.00

7,000.00

2,150.00

600.00

-25,000.00

Tax name

Tax %

Split into CGST and SGST (India)

SubtotalINR 58,250.00

Total dueINR 58,250.00

Payment instructions

Notes and terms

Your file never leaves your device.

What it includes

Advocate or firm name, chamber address and enrolment number
Invoice number and date
Client name and address
Matter name, case number and client reference
Billing period
Fee lines: task, hours or hearings, rate, amount
Costs at actuals
Retainer received
Balance due and due date
Payment instructions

Legal invoice: full text

LEGAL INVOICE

[Adv. Neha Sharma, Chambers]
[Chamber 214, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi]
Enrolment no.: [D/1234/2014] · [Phone] · [Email]

Invoice no.: [LEG-2026-0118]
Date: [3 November 2026]
Due date: [20 November 2026]

Client:
[Sunrise Textiles Pvt Ltd]
[Client address]
Matter: [Recovery suit CS 812/2026] · Client ref: [ST-LEG-09]
Billing period: [1 to 31 October 2026]

Professional fees                        Qty     Rate        Amount
[Drafting of sale agreement, per hour]   [6]     [3,500]     [21,000]
[Court appearance, per hearing]          [3]     [15,000]    [45,000]
[Legal notice drafting and dispatch]     [1]     [7,500]     [7,500]
[Client conference, per hour]            [2]     [3,500]     [7,000]
Costs at actuals
[Court fee and stamp paper]              [1]     [2,150]     [2,150]
[Clerkage and photocopies]               [1]     [600]       [600]
                                         Total fees and costs  [83,250]
                                         Less retainer         [-25,000]
                                         [GST, if registered]  [amount]
                                         BALANCE DUE           [₹58,250]

Payment instructions
[Bank name] · A/c [number] · IFSC [code]
Cheque in favour of [Neha Sharma]

Notes
Receipts for costs at actuals are attached.
Please quote the matter number with your payment.

Lines an advocate bills on a matter

Advocate Neha Sharma acts for a textile company in a recovery suit. Her October bill carries these lines.

Line	Basis	Qty	Rate (₹)	Amount (₹)
Drafting of sale agreement	per hour	6	3,500	21,000
Court appearance	per hearing	3	15,000	45,000
Legal notice drafting and dispatch	fixed	1	7,500	7,500
Client conference	per hour	2	3,500	7,000
Court fee and stamp paper	at cost	1	2,150	2,150
Clerkage and photocopies	fixed	1	600	600
Less retainer received				-25,000
Balance due				58,250

Fees come to ₹80,500. Costs at actuals add ₹2,750. The retainer of ₹25,000 already paid comes off the bottom. Add GST on top only if your practice is registered and your accountant confirms it applies.

Fields a law firm invoice needs

Field	Why it matters to the client
Matter name and case number	A company with ten cases pays the right file
Client reference	Their legal team matches the bill to an internal code
Billing period	Shows which month of work the bill covers
Enrolment number	Identifies the advocate signing the bill
Hourly rate or fee per hearing	Matches the fee letter the client signed
Costs at actuals	Court fee and stamp paper with receipts attached
Retainer applied	Shows how much of the advance is used up

Keep time entries for each hour you bill. A one-line note per entry answers most queries before they arrive.

Fees, costs and the retainer

Fees are what your time is worth. Costs are money you paid out for the client. Keep them apart on every bill.

Professional fees by the hour, the hearing or a fixed amount per task.
Out-of-pocket costs such as court fee and stamp duty.
Retainer received at the start, shown as a minus line.
Balance due after the retainer is used up.

When the retainer runs low, ask for a top-up in the same message as the bill. A client tops up faster with the running total in front of them.

Collecting legal fees over WhatsApp

Many advocates bill in three steps. A retainer comes before the first filing. A monthly bill covers each month of work. A final bill closes the matter on the order or decree.

Step	When	Amount in this matter
Retainer	Before filing the suit	₹25,000
Monthly bill	First week of the next month	₹58,250 for October
Final bill	After the decree or settlement	Remaining fees and costs

Send the bill as a PDF in the chat with this message.

Good morning Mr. Agarwal. Please find the fee bill for October on matter CS 812/2026. Three hearings and the sale agreement are covered. The retainer of ₹25,000 is adjusted. Balance due is ₹58,250 by 20 November. Bank details are on the bill. Regards, Neha Sharma.

If nothing arrives by the due date, send a short follow-up the next morning. Quote the bill number and the amount only.

Fixed fee matters and stage billing

Not every matter runs on hours. Property work and notices often carry a fixed fee agreed upfront.

Matter type	How it is billed	When to send the bill
Legal notice	Fixed fee per notice	On dispatch
Sale deed or lease	Fixed fee per document	On registration
Civil suit	Per hearing plus drafting hours	Monthly
Company retainer	Monthly fee for advice calls	First week of the month
Arbitration	Per sitting plus preparation	After each sitting

Write the fee basis in the fee letter and repeat it on each bill. Clients approve faster when the two documents match word for word.

Mistakes that delay legal fees

Billing hours without a task note. A finance team will not approve «work on file».
Mixing court fee into your fees. The client sees a higher fee than agreed.
Forgetting the retainer. The client pays twice and asks for a refund later.
No matter number on a company bill. It sits in a queue until someone finds the file.
Sending one bill for six months of work. A large number invites a long negotiation.
Missing receipts for costs at actuals. Attach scans of the stamp paper and court fee.

Let Makatea follow up on unpaid bills

Makatea keeps a list of every client and every open bill. It sends the WhatsApp reminder before the due date and again after it.

When a client pays part of the balance, Makatea records it and shows what is left. The next reminder quotes the new figure on its own.

Upload your client list from Excel. The first 14 days are free and need no card.

Free on Makatea: proforma invoice template · rent receipt template · free receipt template · free invoice generator

Frequently asked questions

What is an advocate bill format?

It is the invoice an advocate sends for fees and costs on a matter. It shows the matter and the work done. Costs at actuals and the balance after the retainer follow.

Should court fees go on the same line as legal fees?

No. Put court fee and stamp paper on separate lines marked at cost. Attach the receipts so the client sees the money went out.

How do I show a retainer on a legal invoice?

Add it as a minus line under the fees and costs. The balance due drops by the retainer amount.

Can I bill by hearing instead of by hour?

Yes. Change the quantity label and enter one line per hearing. Many advocates bill court work per hearing and drafting by the hour.

Can I send the legal bill on WhatsApp?

Yes. Download the PDF and send it in the chat with the client. Keep the matter number in the message.

Is this a government e-invoice?

No. It is a commercial invoice for your own billing and collections. Government e-invoices with an IRN are issued in the official portal.

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Makatea sends the reminders over WhatsApp and email, records every payment and tells you who to follow up with first.

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