AO
External Costs

External Counsel Cost Tracker

Monitor external counsel fees, expert costs, consultant invoices, engagement status, recoverability, and matter-level impact.

External counsel costs
$96,700
Expert fees pending
$22,400
Recoverable external
$71,200
Unapproved invoices
5
Chambers of QC Whitmore
IP · M-2024
Retained
Estimate
$48,000
Invoiced
$22,000
Approval
Approved
Report
Draft
46% invoiced of estimate
Dr. Halden Reed
Digital forensics · M-2039
Engaged
Estimate
$18,000
Invoiced
$18,000
Approval
Approved
Report
Delivered
100% invoiced of estimate
Prof. E. Vance
Actuary · M-2007
Engaged
Estimate
$22,500
Invoiced
$14,200
Approval
Pending
Report
Draft
63% invoiced of estimate
Marlin Forensics
Financial forensics · M-2041
Engaged
Estimate
$34,800
Invoiced
$12,400
Approval
Pending
Report
In progress
36% invoiced of estimate
Dr. Rouven Medical
Medical · M-2018
Approach
Estimate
$12,000
Invoiced
$0
Approval
—
Report
Not started
0% invoiced of estimate
External counsel · Kessler & Co
Shipping · M-2035
Retained
Estimate
$38,000
Invoiced
$16,400
Approval
Approved
Report
Advice given
43% invoiced of estimate
Cost by matter
M-2024 Vertex IP$22,000
M-2041 Meridian$12,400
M-2035 Nordic$16,400
M-2007 Kestrel$14,200
M-2039 Cross-border$18,000
Approval queue
Prof. E. Vance
M-2007 · $14,200
Marlin Forensics
M-2041 · $12,400
External counsel costs

Ashworth & Vance LLP · live demonstration data

External firms
9
▲ 14.0%
Active instructions
17
▲ 5.1%
Committed
$684K
▼ 12.2%
Invoiced
$512K
▲ 10.3%
Paid
$438K
▲ 9.4%
Budget variance
+8.4%
▼ 13.5%
Trend intelligence
External counsel spend trend
141K121K100K80K59KCommitted · Dec · 82KCommitted · Jan · 96KCommitted · Feb · 74KCommitted · Mar · 108KCommitted · Apr · 92KCommitted · May · 118KCommitted · Jun · 126KCommitted · Jul · 104KInvoiced · Dec · 68KInvoiced · Jan · 82KInvoiced · Feb · 66KInvoiced · Mar · 94KInvoiced · Apr · 81KInvoiced · May · 102KInvoiced · Jun · 112KInvoiced · Jul · 92KBudget · Dec · 90KBudget · Jan · 90KBudget · Feb · 90KBudget · Mar · 100KBudget · Apr · 100KBudget · May · 100KBudget · Jun · 110KBudget · Jul · 110KDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJul
CommittedInvoicedBudgetUnit: $K
Comparative analysis
Spend by external firm
4KB Chambers
$148.0K
Halden & Roe
$118.0K
Storrow LLP
$96.0K
Kappel Advokat
$74.0K
Bright Line IP
$62.0K
Merriman KC
$54.0K
Distribution heatmap
Rate-card comparison
SilkSenior juniorJuniorParalegal
4KB Chambers
95
32
84
64
Halden & Roe
96
17
91
52
Storrow LLP
94
6
94
38
Kappel Advokat
89
21
96
24
Bright Line IP
82
35
95
9
LowModerateHighValues are hourly rates in $ hundreds relative to agreed panel rates.
Operational register
External counsel register
InstructionFirmMatterScopeCommittedInvoicedPaidVarianceStatus
EXC-2204KB ChambersM-2041Advice$95.0K$30.0K$63.0K+12%Within budget
EXC-221Halden & RoeM-2035Trial advocacy$35.0K$74.0K$49.0K-3%Over budget
EXC-222Storrow LLPM-2024Local counsel$85.0K$57.0K$46.0K-3%In review
EXC-223Kappel AdvokatM-2029Expert liaison$66.0K$54.0K$65.0K+12%Within budget
EXC-2244KB ChambersM-2007Advice$62.0K$76.0K$21.0K-3%Over budget
EXC-225Halden & RoeM-2011Trial advocacy$87.0K$26.0K$72.0K-3%In review
EXC-226Storrow LLPM-2016Local counsel$30.0K$84.0K$14.0K+12%Within budget
EXC-227Kappel AdvokatM-2018Expert liaison$96.0K$17.0K$68.0K-3%Over budget
EXC-2284KB ChambersM-1998Advice$21.0K$79.0K$39.0K-3%In review
9 of 9 records
Detail panel
Performance scorecard
On-time delivery
88%
panel average 82%
Budget adherence
76%
3 overruns
Quality rating
4.4 / 5
partner survey
Rate compliance
92%
2 deviations
Billing accuracy
94%
1 rejected invoice
Panel review due
Sep 2026
annual
Exceptions and risk
Exception queue and recommended actions
2 open
Invoice above committed budget
4KB Chambers · EXC-221
$18.4K
Instruction without engagement terms
EXC-226
$12K
Audit and history

Every financial change is captured with user, timestamp, value movement and audit reference

Recent activity
  1. Payment posted01 Jul · 10:10
    N. Salim·Meridian Holdings PLC · M-2041·$87.0K·AUD-7700
  2. Invoice edited02 Jul · 11:11
    A. Okafor·Nordic Shipping AS · M-2035·$29.0K·AUD-7701
  3. Credit note approved03 Jul · 12:12
    D. Feld·Vertex Biotech Ltd · M-2024·$77.0K·AUD-7702
  4. Retainer adjusted04 Jul · 13:13
    J. Hollis KC·Lagos Bay Estates · M-2029·$59.0K·AUD-7703
  5. Trust transfer completed05 Jul · 14:14
    N. Salim·Kestrel Insurance · M-2007·$55.0K·AUD-7704
  6. Expense approved06 Jul · 15:15
    A. Okafor·Halcyon Partners · M-2011·$79.0K·AUD-7705
  7. Tax report exported07 Jul · 16:16
    D. Feld·Orion Media Group · M-2016·$24.0K·AUD-7706