The Pinch Points
Why Family Law Firms Come to Us for Capital
The retainer is always a step behind the work — a contested matter burns through it faster than a client wants to top it back up, and the firm carries the WIP in between. Our lenders read the firm’s revenue, not a perfect file. Sound familiar?
The Retainer-Replenishment Lag
A contested matter burns through a retainer in weeks; the firm performs the work and waits for the client to top it back up — a $30K–$90K gap between work done and retainers replenished across an active caseload.
The Long-Matter WIP
Custody and high-asset divorce matters run a year or more; a contested matter can accumulate $30K–$80K in unbilled time and costs before it resolves and collects.
The Collection Lag on Emotional Matters
Clients in the middle of a divorce fall behind; payment plans and slow-pay AR — $20K–$60K outstanding — are the norm, not the exception.
The Lumpy Caseload Calendar
Retainers and resolutions arrive unevenly; payroll for associates and paralegals runs every cycle regardless — a $25K–$70K monthly burn between collections.
The Cases You Staff For
Adding an associate or paralegal to take on more matters is $8K–$14K a month, carried before the caseload they’ll handle fills in.
Buying In or Acquiring a Practice
A partner buy-in or acquiring another family-law practice is a $150K–$700K move that won’t wait on a slow approval queue.
What an operator said
“Our retainers never kept pace with the work on the long custody files — we were profitable but always tight. The working line covered the gap; now we take the matters we want without watching the operating account.”
M. Sullivan · family law firm · Denver, CO
Start Here
See Your Range in 60 Seconds
No credit check, no documents to start, and an estimated funding range on the spot. No one contacts you until you’re ready to move forward.
What Happens When You Start
Estimate Your Capital Range
Slide to your annual gross revenue. We size capital off your top line — not your credit score.
Estimated Capital Range
A conservative range based on 10-15% of annual revenue — many businesses qualify for more with strong receivables or assets behind them. Lenders return real term sheets once they see your file.
60 seconds · No obligation · Estimate only
Built for the Trade
What We Fund for Family Law Firms
Working Capital for the Retainer Gap
An unsecured, revenue-based working line covers the stretch between work performed and retainers replenished, so an active caseload never strains the operating account.
A Line Against Unbilled WIP & Receivables
A working line advances against unbilled time on long matters and slow-pay AR, turning a year of carried work into usable cash.
Capital for Intake & Caseload Growth
Financing the marketing and intake that fills the calendar lets you build the caseload ahead of the fees it brings in.
Revenue-Based Acquisition & Buy-In Capital
Buy in or acquire a practice on revenue-based, capital-stacked financing — not an SBA queue.
Match Your Situation
The Funding Gaps We Bridge for Family Law Firms
Match your situation to the structure. Every one of these funds on the firm’s revenue and receivables, not a perfect credit file.
| What It Looks Like | Funding Solution | Amount | Speed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banks won’t lend against retainers or unbilled time | Revenue and receivables underwriting | Working Capital | $75K–$5M+ | 1–3 days |
| Contested matters outrun the retainers that fund them | A working line covers the gap | Working Capital | $75K–$5M+ | 1–3 days |
| Clients in dispute pay slowly | A line advances against the receivables | Business LOC | $75K–$5M+ | 1–5 days |
The Products
How Family Law Firm Financing Is Structured
Most law-firm files fund between $75K and $5M+, structured to the retainer gap, the long-matter WIP, or the office and case-tech build. Larger lines available when revenue, cash flow, and story qualify.
| Amount | Term | Best For | Funding Speed | Typical Structure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business LOC | $75K–$5M+ | Revolving | Retainer gap, slow-pay AR | 1–5 days | Unsecured line, no PG by default |
| Working Capital | $75K–$5M+ | 6mo–10yr | Payroll through the lumpy calendar | 1–3 days | Often unsecured, daily/weekly ACH |
| Invoice Factoring | $75K–$5M+ | Per invoice | Unbilled WIP, payment-plan AR | 1–2 days | Receivables secure the line |
| Equipment Financing | $75K–$5M+ | 2yr–7yr | Case software, office build-out | 3–7 days | Equipment serves as collateral |
Tax Strategy
Section 179 on Office & Case-Tech — Worked
If last year was strong and you’re about to write a check to the IRS — stop. Acquire qualifying equipment with as little as 10% down, finance the rest, and write off the full purchase price in year one. Section 179 covers it up to the annual cap; 100% bonus depreciation — made permanent in 2025, with no cap and no income limit — carries the rest.
At the top bracket, that first-year deduction can return meaningful tax savings — and for an established business with strong cash flow, it’s the difference between writing a check to the IRS and putting the same money into your own equipment. Your CPA models the exact numbers for your bracket and structure.
Worked scenario · top bracket · illustrative
You financed the machine and put down a fraction of its price — but you deduct the full price in year one. The write-off is bigger than your down payment, and the equipment keeps working the whole time.
Scales with your numbers
Illustrative only. Actual savings depend on your tax bracket, entity type, state conformity, and CPA guidance. Section 179 and bonus depreciation are elections your CPA makes for your situation; above the Section 179 cap, 100% bonus depreciation carries the balance.
Terms reflect credit, revenue, time in business, and each lender. Every file is unique — see what the desk structures for yours in the 60-second qualifier.
Bobby’s Take
“Family law has a money problem built into how it bills — the retainer is always a step behind the work, because a contested matter burns through it faster than a client in the middle of a divorce wants to top it back up. So the firm performs the work, carries the WIP, and waits, while payroll runs every two weeks regardless. We fund that gap — the retainer lag, the long-matter WIP, the slow-pay AR — on an unsecured, revenue-based line, so an active, profitable caseload stops feeling like a cash squeeze. The §179 on your case-management software and office is a small bonus; covering the retainer gap is what keeps the practice steady.”
Bobby Friel · Founder · 20+ years in banking and finance
How It Works
From Application to Funded
One application, 70+ lenders competing, a dedicated specialist, and most files funded in days.
60-second estimate
Enter your numbers — no credit check, no documents. You see an estimated funding range on the spot.
A specialist is assigned
A real funding specialist — not an algorithm — reviews your file, usually within 24 hours.
70+ lenders compete
Your application goes to the marketplace. Competing offers typically land 24–48 hours later.
You pick the offer
Compare structures and terms with your advisor. No obligation until you choose to sign.
Funded in days
From same-day working capital to a multi-piece stack, most files fund in days — not the bank’s 60–90.
Underwriting
What Underwriting Looks At
Funding here leads with what your business actually does — your revenue and cash flow. The specialist desk reads the real picture from your statements, then matches it to the lenders most likely to fund it.
How you’re evaluated
Revenue-first
sized off your top line, not just your balance sheet.
Cash-flow driven
your bank statements show how the business really runs.
Bank-statement underwriting
even a down year is read off 4 months of statements.
Story-driven
a big new contract, a seasonal swing, a turnaround in progress: context the raw numbers miss counts too.
What to have ready
↳Had a loss year? It’s read off the bank statements — 4 months, not 6.
Start fast, finish complete
The operators who fund quickest come to the specialist review with these ready — but you don’t need all of it to start. Your signed application and bank statements are what unblock the review; the rest can follow as trailing docs. Real term sheets come once the lenders can see a true business overview, so the move is simple: get the application and statements in right away, and don’t let a missing tax return hold up your term sheets.
Credit, straight
Qualification
Who Gets Funded — and Who’s Not Ready Yet
A straight read saves everyone time — here’s the line between a family law file that funds and one that isn’t ready yet.
↳Time in business is a factor, not a gate — newer crews with strong revenue still qualify.
Not ready yet isn’t a no — it’s a checklist. Most of it is fixable in a quarter or two, and your advisor will tell you straight which gaps to fix before a file goes in.
The Operator's Guide
Family Law Firm Financing
The Retainer Is Always a Step Behind the Work
Family law bills on retainers, and on a contested matter the retainer is always a step behind the work — a divorce or custody fight burns through it in weeks, and a client in the middle of that fight is slow to top it back up. So the firm performs the work, carries the unbilled WIP, and waits, while payroll runs every two weeks regardless. We fund that gap — the retainer lag, the long-matter WIP, and the slow-pay AR — on an unsecured, revenue-based line, so an active, profitable caseload stops feeling like a cash squeeze.
One Application, 70+ Lenders
Whether it’s a working line for the retainer gap, a line against unbilled WIP and slow-pay AR, or equipment financing for case software and office build-out, we connect you with 70+ lenders who fund law firms every week. Working capital, lines of credit, receivables advances, and equipment financing — $75K to $5M+, on the firm’s revenue, with §179 writing off qualifying equipment the year it’s placed in service. One application, soft-pull review to start.
Common Questions
Family Law Financing — Questions, Answered
Yes — an unsecured, revenue-based working line covers the stretch until retainers are topped up.
Yes — a working line advances against WIP and slow-pay receivables.
A line of credit is unsecured and revenue-based by default; receivables financing can be secured against the AR for better terms, but it’s optional.
A signed application plus four months of bank statements, a P&L, a balance sheet, and two years of returns. If recent years show losses, the specialist desk can underwrite on four months of bank statements.
Yes — revenue-based and capital-stacked on firm revenue, not an SBA 7(a) loan.
Recommended Funding
The Products That Fit Family Law Work
Business Line of Credit →
A revolving line covers the retainer gap and draws against slow-pay AR.
Working Capital Loans →
Carry payroll through the lumpy caseload calendar between collections.
Invoice Factoring →
Advance against unbilled WIP and payment-plan receivables instead of waiting.
Equipment Financing →
Finance case-management software and office build-out — §179 included.
Explore by practice area