Mohan Groble Scolaro Improves Billing Speed and Operations with Billables AI
For many law firms, timekeeping remains one of the most persistent operational challenges. Even experienced attorneys struggle to consistently record their work in real time, leading to lost billable hours, delayed billing cycles, and administrative frustration.
At Chicago litigation firm Mohan Groble Scolaro (MGS), improving time capture and reducing billing friction became a priority. After evaluating several passive timekeeping solutions, the firm adopted Billables AI to help automate and streamline its billing process.
The impact was quickly noticeable: faster billing cycles, increased captured time, and clearer visibility into how attorneys spend their working hours.
Fixing the “First Domino” in Law Firm Operations
Mohan Groble Scolaro is a boutique litigation firm that handles a broad range of civil matters, including regulatory, environmental, and contractual disputes. Many of the firm’s clients are institutional organizations and municipalities.
Despite its size, the firm has long prioritized using technology to improve efficiency and client service.
“Everybody in our firm is first and foremost a working lawyer,” says Sean Sullivan, Partner at MGS. “The more we can streamline practices and increase efficiencies, the more time we can devote to client service.”
But one operational issue consistently stood in the way: timekeeping.
“Timekeeping sits at the front of the row of dominoes,” Sullivan explained. “If we can’t push that domino over and get people to record their time, then a lot of other things can’t happen—like bills going out and payment coming in.”
“If we can’t push that domino over and get people to record their time, then a lot of other things can’t happen—like bills going out and payment coming in.”
Sean Sullivan
Partner
Finding the right billing solution
Like many firms, MGS explored multiple solutions over the years—from experimenting with internal tools to piloting commercial time-tracking platforms. Many options fell short.
Some required rigid commitments before the firm could test the product, while others relied heavily on desktop-only tracking that didn’t reflect how attorneys actually work.
Partner Ray Groble said those experiences shaped how the firm evaluates new technology.
“Over time we’ve learned to be appropriately skeptical about the claims made about what software can do,” Groble said.
That skepticism ultimately guided the firm toward a solution that prioritized flexibility, transparency, and practical usability.
Ultimately, Billables AI stood out for two reasons:
Automated capture of real work activity across devices
A collaborative product team willing to iterate quickly based on feedback
Capturing More Billable Time
After deploying Billables AI, the firm quickly began seeing improvements in time capture.
Billables AI detects work activity across common legal workflows—including emails, documents, and research—and generates suggested time entries and billing narratives that attorneys can review and approve. Instead of manually reconstructing their day, attorneys start with AI-generated entries and refine them as needed.
For Sullivan, the technology addresses a challenge that nearly every law firm faces.
“It’s a tool designed to correct for an innate human deficiency that runs rampant through the legal industry—keeping track of time,” Sullivan said.
The platform gives attorneys a structured starting point that simplifies timekeeping.
“Even when I’m not using it perfectly, it’s still much easier to look at what Billables generates, make a few edits, and approve it,” he added.
The impact has been measurable. Groble estimates the system has increased his captured billable time.
“For myself, I’m capturing at least 10 percent more time than before”
Ray Groble
Partner
Faster Billing, Faster Payment
Improved time capture has also translated into faster billing cycles.
“Our bills are going out faster,” Groble said, estimating that his own billing process now happens one to two weeks faster than before.
That shift has a direct financial impact.
“There’s a direct correlation between how quickly we send bills and how quickly we get paid,” he added.
Turning Work Activity Into Operational Insight
Beyond billing efficiency, the firm also sees value in the operational data generated through automated activity capture.
By recording work activity across tools and matters, Billables AI provides a clearer picture of how the firm’s operations—information that can help firm leaders better understand workflows and manage productivity.
“Knowing how people are spending their time is powerful for understanding how the firm operates,” Groble said.
The system also surfaces non-billable activity that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“I do a lot of non-billable work too, and it captures that as well, which is useful because I still want to track it,” he said.
Looking Ahead
While the firm has already seen improvements in time capture and billing efficiency, the partners believe AI’s role in legal operations is still just beginning.
As clients increasingly expect efficiency and transparency, tools that help firms capture work accurately and streamline operations will become even more important. What has stood out most to MGS is how quickly the product continues to evolve.
“We feel like we’re partners in developing the product,” Groble said. “You’ve been responsive to feedback, and it keeps improving.”
For the firm, that ongoing iteration points to a broader opportunity for AI to further modernize how legal work is captured and managed.
