Esther F. Lardent , director of the Pro Bono Institute at Georgetown University Law Center , said the good economic times of the late ' 90s saw lawyers at large firms suddenly responsible for as many as 2,300 billable hours per year , compared with the less time- consuming and more typical 1,700 hours .
Esther F. Lardent stated that the yearly billable hours averages at approximately 1700 hours .