Is ARCounsel a collection agency?
No. ARCounsel handles the early, friendly part of getting an invoice paid: reminders and courteous check-ins on your firm’s behalf, for roughly the first 90 days an invoice is past due. We don’t file suits, report to credit bureaus, or use pressure tactics. If you later decide an account needs escalation, we can refer it to a collection agency of your choosing. That step is always your call.
Who actually contacts my clients?
Reminder emails go out in your firm’s name, with replies coming back the way you choose. When a personal touch is needed, an AR specialist follows up on your firm’s behalf by phone, email or text, working from the scripts and rules you’ve approved. Our AR specialists are upfront that they’re helping your firm with billing.
What will my clients hear? Will it sound pushy?
It shouldn’t sound like anything you wouldn’t say yourself. We agree on tone, sign-off and what we can and can’t say, and you review the templates and outreach plan before anything goes out. No threats, no deadlines you haven’t set, no talk of credit reports. Every touch is logged so you can see exactly what was sent or said.
Do you take a percentage of what gets collected?
Never. ARCounsel is a flat monthly fee. There’s no contingency, no percentage and no success fee, so whatever your clients pay goes to your firm, all of it. Plans are $519 to $1,199 a month depending on how many clients you bill, on an annual plan billed monthly, plus a one-time $625 setup fee.
Do you ever touch my clients’ money?
No. Every reminder points clients to the payment link or instructions your firm already uses, so payments go straight to your account. Money never passes through ARCounsel, which means nothing changes about how you handle your operating or trust accounts.
How do you handle confidentiality and privilege?
We work from billing information: client names and contact details, invoice numbers, amounts and due dates. We don’t need case files, notes or documents, and our messages never discuss the substance of a matter. If your firm uses its own confidentiality or vendor agreement, we’ll review it with you before we start.
What about the professional rules lawyers have to follow?
ARCounsel is not a law firm and doesn’t give legal advice. You know the rules that apply to your practice, and our outreach follows the rules you set: what we say, when we reach out, and which matters are off-limits. We’re happy to walk you, or whoever advises your firm on ethics, through exactly how we work. Decisions about what fits your jurisdiction stay with you, and we’ll adjust to them.
Should we only send you invoices that are already badly overdue?
Ideally, no. The best handoff is ongoing: invoices come to us as they’re issued, so a polite reminder goes out as soon as one slips past its due date and follow-up stays gentle. We can also take on older balances you already have, but early, steady reminders are the kinder and easier path for everyone.
Can I keep certain clients off-limits?
Yes. Lock any matter, client or invoice (a VIP, a sensitive matter, a disputed bill, an active payment arrangement) and it’s excluded from all outreach until you lift the lock.
What happens if a client disputes the bill?
We pause outreach on that account and flag it to you right away, with whatever context the client shared. We don’t negotiate disputes or offer legal opinions. The relationship and the decision stay with you.
Which billing software do you work with?
We integrate with QuickBooks Online, LeanLaw, Clio, Smokeball, MyCase, TimeSolv, Bill4Time, LawPay and Confido Legal. Using another billing system? Ask us: a standard billing or A/R aging report export (CSV or Excel) from almost any system is enough to get started.
What happens after 90 days?
If an invoice is still open after about 90 days of follow-up, we return the account to you with a complete activity history so you can decide what’s next: write it off, handle it personally, or ask us to refer it to a collection agency. If a client is actively engaging with us at that point, we’ll keep the momentum going with your approval.
How long does it take to get started?
Onboarding is designed to be light: one working session to connect your invoice data, agree on tone and rules, and lock any matters you want left alone. Outreach starts only after you approve the templates.
What’s the commitment?
ARCounsel is an annual plan: a 12-month term, billed monthly at your plan’s flat rate, plus the one-time $625 setup fee. After the first year it renews for another year unless either of us gives written notice at least 30 days before the renewal date. It’s all in a written service agreement you’ll see before you sign anything, and we’ll go through it with you on the consult.
What kinds of law firms do you work with?
Firms that bill clients directly and want overdue invoices followed up courteously, in their own name and tone. The approach is built for practices where client relationships matter, so reminders stay respectful and the firm keeps control of every account.