What happened in the Broken Hill lawyer billing scandal?

Keith Redenbach billed the town A$10 million for a A$1.5 million win, including impossible hours like 34.5 in one day and 103 over three. Court ruled overcharge, ordered refunds.

Can lawyers bill more than 24 hours a day legally?

No — courts deem it impossible without proof. Excuses like time zones rarely fly; better tracking tools prevent slips.

Will AI end the billable hour in law firms?

Likely yes, by enabling precise value-based pricing via automated tracking. Scandals like this push adoption.

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From Sick Bed to 36-Hour Days: The Lawyer Who Bent Time — And Why AI Might Finally Break the Billable Hour

Picture this: a lawyer, fresh from surgery, grieving his dog's death, somehow logs 34.5 hours in one day. It's not sci-fi — it's the latest billable hour meltdown Down Under.

theAIcatchup Apr 09, 2026 4 min read

Courtroom gavel over calendar showing impossible 36-hour lawyer billing day

⚡ Key Takeaways

Redenbach's impossible billing — up to 103 hours in 72 — exposed billable hour flaws, leading to court-ordered refunds. 𝕏
AI time-tracking tools offer escape: real data for value fees, ending reconstruction fictions. 𝕏
Unique shift: Echoes 80s scandals but signals AI-forced pivot to transparent, outcome-based billing. 𝕏

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theAIcatchup

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#billable hours #lawyer overbilling #legal billing scandal #time tracking AI

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Originally reported by Above the Law

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