A method for tracking and approving legal expenses incurred by a business entity using a legal budgeting computer system is provided. The method includes creating a legal matter reflecting legal work to be performed by an outside counsel, creating a purchase order for the legal matter including a budgeted amount which is expected to be paid to the outside counsel for performing the legal work, receiving from the outside counsel an invoice, and prompting an account manager to designate a method of reimbursement for the invoice including at least one of paid at close, charge to good faith, charge to loan, customer to wire money, and a non-reimbursable charge to cost center. The method also includes submitting the invoice to an approval process, validating the approved invoice amount, paying the approved invoice amount, and automatically reconciling the approved invoice amount.