Disbursement Finance for Law Firms
Fund the case now.
Recover the costs later.
Counsel, expert witnesses, medical reports and court fees all have to be paid long before a matter settles. Disbursement funding carries that outlay so the firm doesn’t have to.
Who this is for
The pressure
Fund the case now.
A firm running a volume of cases can easily have a significant sum paid out in disbursements at any one time, all of it waiting on settlement. Paying them from office account ties up capital that the firm needs for salaries, growth and its own liabilities, and it can limit the number of new matters the firm is able to take on.
What can be funded
What it can cover.
- 01 Counsel’s fees
- 02 Expert witness and medical reports
- 03 Court and issue fees
- 04 Searches, surveys and specialist reports
- 05 Other recoverable case costs
This page describes funding provided to the firm. Loans made directly to a firm’s clients to cover their disbursements are a separate, regulated consumer product.
How it’s often structured
Structured around the practice.
Usually a facility the firm draws on as disbursements arise, with each drawing repaid when the matter concludes and costs are recovered. Some funders look at individual cases; others fund a portfolio.
How we help
Not one lender. The right one.
We don't offer a single product. We look at what you're trying to fund, how your firm earns and spends, and which lenders in the market are most likely to support it. Then we prepare the case, approach suitable lenders and manage the process through to completion.
Who this is for
Questions
What firms usually ask.
What is disbursement funding for solicitors?
Disbursement funding is finance arranged for a law firm to pay case costs such as counsel’s fees, expert and medical reports, court fees and searches before the matter concludes. Each drawing is usually repaid when the case settles and the costs are recovered, so the firm doesn’t have to carry that outlay from its office account. The Law Society lists disbursement funding among its funding options for law firms.
How does a disbursement funding facility work?
Typically the firm has a facility it draws on as disbursements arise, and each drawing is repaid when that matter concludes and costs come in. Some funders assess individual cases, while others fund a portfolio across the caseload. We search the market for funders suited to your practice areas and manage the process through to drawdown.
Can disbursement finance help our firm take on more cases?
It can. When disbursements are paid from office account, the capital tied up can limit how many new matters a firm is prepared to take on. Funding that outlay frees working capital for salaries, growth and the firm’s own liabilities. Whether it suits your firm depends on your caseload, practice areas and how reliably matters recover costs.
Is disbursement funding for the firm the same as a disbursement loan to a client?
No. This page covers funding arranged for the firm itself. Loans made directly to a firm’s clients to cover their disbursements are a separate product and can be regulated consumer credit. If you are looking at client-facing funding, tell us at the outset and we can explain how that differs.
What do disbursement funders look at before offering a facility?
Lenders usually want to understand the firm’s practice areas, the types of matter being funded, historic recovery of disbursements, case management and risk assessment processes, and the firm’s accounts and existing borrowing. Criteria vary between funders, which is why we prepare the case and approach the lenders most likely to support your type of work.
Let's talk
Carrying disbursements across your caseload?
Let’s look at funding them.
Before you approach a lender, speak to someone who understands the transaction. Confidential, no-obligation initial discussion.