If you’ve ever opened a legal bill and felt lost in a sea of confusing words, you’re not alone. Terms like peruse, confer, and prepare attendance note might sound official, but to most clients, they mean very little — until they see the price attached.
At Law In Check, we help clients check their legal bills and uncover what those mysterious words really mean. Understanding the language on your invoice is the first step to spotting overcharging, challenging legal costs, and ensuring you only pay for work that’s fair and reasonable.
Lawyers are trained to write precisely — but not necessarily plainly. Unfortunately, that same legal language often spills over into billing. While some terms are harmless, others can make it hard for clients to understand what they’re paying for or to question whether it was necessary.
That’s why knowing what common billing terms actually mean can help you understand your legal costs and take control of your bill.
You’ll often see peruse on your bill — but it doesn’t mean “skim read.” In legal billing, peruse typically refers to reading and considering a document carefully. However, the time taken should reflect the document’s length and complexity.
If you see multiple entries for “peruse” without clear details, ask your lawyer which documents were reviewed and why. It’s an easy area to overcharge.
This can mean anything from attending a meeting or court hearing to simply making a phone call or sending an email. The problem? These entries are often vague.
Ask your lawyer to specify who attended, what was discussed, and how long it took. It’s your right to check your legal bill for clarity.
When lawyers confer, they’re communicating — usually with you, the other side, or another lawyer in their firm. If you see several “conference” or “confer” entries in a single day, they could relate to the same issue but be billed separately.
Multiple short conferences can quickly add up in 6-minute billing units. Always review whether these were necessary.
This means writing a summary after a meeting or call — something lawyers do for record-keeping. While legitimate, it should take only a short amount of time. If you see many “attendance note” entries, check whether they’re reasonable.
“Settle” means reviewing and finalising a document (for example, settle affidavit or settle draft order). However, some firms use this term loosely to bill for multiple reviews of the same document.
If you’re seeing repeated “settle” or “revise” entries, ask how each step was necessary. You might find duplication that could help you dispute lawyer fees or reduce legal costs.
This is a catch-all phrase that can hide short emails or letters. Because many firms bill in 6-minute units, even one-line emails can cost you more than you think.
Ask your lawyer whether short administrative messages are charged the same as longer correspondence. This can significantly reduce solicitor costs over time.
Lawyers are required under Australian law to communicate their fees in plain English. If your bill uses excessive jargon or unclear terms, you’re entitled to ask for clarification — or even a detailed, itemised breakdown.
Transparency is not optional; it’s a professional obligation. The clearer the description, the easier it is for you to understand your legal costs and decide whether they’re fair.
If your invoice feels confusing or inflated, we can help you challenge legal costs and uncover where overcharging may have occurred. Our cost lawyers specialise in breaking down complex lawyer fees into clear explanations — and helping clients reduce solicitor costs where the charges don’t add up.
You have the right to question your bill — and the knowledge to do so starts here.
Should you require any help with understanding or challenging your legal fees,
call Law in Check on 1800 529 462 or send us an email at info@lawincheck.com.au.
Book a consultation