Business decision tool
Law Firm Lockup Days Calculator
Combine unbilled work-in-progress and receivable days into total legal working-capital lockup.
Inputs and results stay in this browser. Currency symbols are illustrative; use any consistent currency.
Understand Law Firm Lockup Days
One idea, three depths
Choose how deeply to explain Law Firm Lockup Days
Law Firm Lockup Days: Combine unbilled work-in-progress and receivable days into total legal working-capital lockup.
Age 5Explain it to a 5-year-oldStart with a picture
Imagine using Law Firm Lockup Days to answer this question: combine unbilled work-in-progress and receivable days into total legal working-capital lockup? Enter Unbilled work in progress, Accounts receivable, Annual net legal revenue, and 2 other inputs; the calculator shows Total law firm lockup days. Try changing one number and watch what happens to Total law firm lockup days. The answer tells you Total law firm lockup days.
Age 15Explain it to a 15-year-oldConnect it to the formula
Matter type, billing cadence, client approval and collection terms should be segmented before setting targets. The rule is Lockup days = WIP days + receivable days. Its input values are Unbilled work in progress, Accounts receivable, Annual net legal revenue, Selected lockup-day target, Annual working-capital rate (%), and the main result is Total law firm lockup days. Try changing one number and watch what happens to Total law firm lockup days.
CollegeExplain it at college levelState the model precisely
This tool models one operating decision from explicitly supplied company assumptions. The implemented relation is Lockup days = WIP days + receivable days, evaluated from Unbilled work in progress, Accounts receivable, Annual net legal revenue, Selected lockup-day target, Annual working-capital rate (%) to produce Total law firm lockup days. Matter type, billing cadence, client approval and collection terms should be segmented before setting targets. The model omits unentered taxes, cash timing, legal constraints and market uncertainty. Compare the output with company records and a downside scenario before committing resources.
The decision this tool supports
Combine unbilled work-in-progress and receivable days into total legal working-capital lockup.
Why the business model works
Matter type, billing cadence, client approval and collection terms should be segmented before setting targets.
Inputs and operating assumptions
This model uses Unbilled work in progress, Accounts receivable, Annual net legal revenue, Selected lockup-day target, Annual working-capital rate. Keep currencies, accounting treatment and time periods consistent with one another.
The formula
Lockup days = WIP days + receivable days
What the calculator produces
The primary output is Total law firm lockup days; it also exposes Working capital above target, Annual financing cost above target. Change one assumption at a time so the comparison remains explainable.
Before using the result in a decision
This compact model cannot capture every tax, accounting, legal, market or operational condition. Compare the output with current company records, cash timing and the downside scenario before committing resources.
Supporting sourcesAcademic referencesPrimary standards, textbooks and complete citations
Standards, reading and academic references
Use the calculator as the worked interaction, then consult the primary standards and academic textbooks listed below. MW SysArc links to the original sources; the explanation on this page is original and does not reproduce them.
Introduction to Business 2e
Read the free OpenStax business textbookCite this book
- APA 7
- Gitman, L. J., McDaniel, C., Shah, A., Reece, M., Koffel, L., Talsma, B., & Hyatt, J. C. (2026). Introduction to business 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/introduction-business-2e/pages/1-introduction
- MLA 9
- Gitman, Lawrence J., et al. Introduction to Business 2e. OpenStax, 2026, https://openstax.org/books/introduction-business-2e/pages/1-introduction.
- Chicago author-date
- Gitman, Lawrence J., Carl McDaniel, Amit Shah, Monique Reece, Linda Koffel, Bethann Talsma, and James C. Hyatt. 2026. Introduction to Business 2e. Houston, TX: OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/introduction-business-2e/pages/1-introduction.
OpenStax entries are free to read online. Follow the licence shown on each linked source before redistributing or adapting its content.
Reuse the page responsiblyCite this pageAPA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, BibTeX and RIS
These formats cite this calculator page itself. They are separate from the academic references above, which support the mathematical method and terminology.
APA 7
MW SysArc. (2026, July 21). Law Firm Lockup Days Calculator. MW SysArc Tools. https://business.mwsysarc.com/law-firm-lockup-days
MLA 9
MW SysArc. “Law Firm Lockup Days Calculator.” MW SysArc Tools, 21 July 2026, https://business.mwsysarc.com/law-firm-lockup-days. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.
Chicago 17
MW SysArc. “Law Firm Lockup Days Calculator.” MW SysArc Tools. Published July 21, 2026. Accessed August 30, 2026. https://business.mwsysarc.com/law-firm-lockup-days.
Harvard
MW SysArc (2026) ‘Law Firm Lockup Days Calculator’, MW SysArc Tools. Published 21 July 2026. Available at: https://business.mwsysarc.com/law-firm-lockup-days (Accessed: 30 August 2026).
BibTeX and RIS records
BibTeX
@misc{mwsysarc_law_firm_lockup_days_2026,
author = {{MW SysArc}},
title = {Law Firm Lockup Days Calculator},
howpublished = {MW SysArc Tools},
year = {2026},
url = {https://business.mwsysarc.com/law-firm-lockup-days},
note = {Published July 21, 2026; accessed August 30, 2026}
}RIS
TY - ELEC
AU - MW SysArc
TI - Law Firm Lockup Days Calculator
T2 - MW SysArc Tools
PY - 2026
DA - 2026-07-21
Y2 - 2026-08-30
UR - https://business.mwsysarc.com/law-firm-lockup-days
N1 - Published July 21, 2026
ER -Clear answers
Frequently asked questions
What does the Law Firm Lockup Days do?
Combine unbilled work-in-progress and receivable days into total legal working-capital lockup.
How does the Law Firm Lockup Days work?
The calculator applies Lockup days = WIP days + receivable days. Matter type, billing cadence, client approval and collection terms should be segmented before setting targets.
What can I learn from the Law Firm Lockup Days?
It connects company inputs to a transparent business result. Change one value at a time to compare operating scenarios.
Does MW SysArc receive or store what I enter?
No. The calculation runs locally in your browser. MW SysArc does not receive or store your calculation inputs.
How should I use the result?
Use the result as a practical reference. Review the inputs, assumptions and stated limitations before relying on it.
Last reviewed . Calculations tested .