How to collect unpaid legal fees without hurting the client relationship

Most law firms know how to collect unpaid legal fees in theory. The hard part is doing it every week, on time, without making a client feel chased. This guide lays out a follow-up process that starts the day after an invoice is due and stays polite the whole way through. It includes sample emails and a call script you can adapt.

Why clients don’t pay their lawyers

Most clients who pay a law firm late haven’t decided not to pay. The invoice got buried, or the amount was a surprise, and a smaller group has a real question about the charges.

Across the industry, Clio’s Legal Trends benchmarks put the average law firm collection rate at 92 percent in 2026, meaning about 8 percent of invoiced work goes unpaid (Clio).

How to collect unpaid legal fees in 7 steps

The most reliable way to collect unpaid legal fees is a fixed schedule: two emails in the first week past due, a call by day 14, and a payment plan approved in advance. The ABA’s GPSolo division describes a similar cadence, with a reminder once a payment is a week late and a call at two weeks (ABA, 2022).

1. Put the payment terms in the fee agreement. State when invoices are due, how clients can pay, and what happens if a bill goes unpaid. Clients take terms more seriously when they agreed to them at the start.
2. Make paying easy. Every invoice and every reminder should carry the same payment link. Allow partial payments. A client who can pay $500 today should not have to call the office to do it.
3. Send the first reminder the day after the due date. Keep it short and warm. Attach the invoice and include the link. Use a neutral subject line that does not mention the matter.
4. Send a second note about a week later. Many clients pay after this one. Acknowledge that the first note may have been missed. Invite questions about the bill.
5. Call between day 10 and day 14. The goal is to learn what is in the way. Confirm the invoice arrived, ask whether anything looks wrong, and agree on a specific payment date.
6. Offer a payment plan you approved in advance. Decide the terms before anyone picks up the phone: minimum monthly amount, number of payments, first payment date. Staff can then say yes on the spot instead of “let me check.”
7. Decide what happens at day 90. By then the firm should have a full record of every email and call, and the billing attorney can decide the next step.

Sample reminder emails and a call script

A good law firm payment reminder is short, names the amount and due date, includes a payment link and invites questions about the bill. Swap in your firm’s name, the invoice details and your payment link. Keep the subject lines neutral so a shared inbox or a family member doesn’t learn anything about the matter.

Subject: A quick note about your [Month] statement

Hi [First name],

This is a friendly reminder that your [Month] statement for [amount] was due on [due date]. A copy is attached.

You can pay online here: [payment link]. Partial payments are fine.

If anything on the statement looks unclear, just reply to this email and we’ll sort it out.

Thank you,
Billing, [Firm name]

Subject: Following up on your [Month] statement

Hi [First name],

Just making sure last week’s note didn’t get buried. Your [Month] balance of [amount] is still open.

You can pay in full or in parts here: [payment link]. If a payment plan would help, reply and we’ll set one up.

Thank you,
Billing, [Firm name]

”Hi [First name], this is [Name] calling from [Firm name] about your [Month] statement. Is now an okay time for a quick minute?

We sent a couple of emails and wanted to make sure they reached you. Did the statement come through?

[If yes: “Thanks for letting us know. We’ll pass that to [Attorney] today and we’ll hold off on reminders until you hear back.”]

[If no: “Would it help to pay it in parts? We can do [approved plan terms]. What date works for the first payment?”]

Great, we’ll note [date]. The link in the email works for that. Thanks so much.”

What not to do when a client doesn’t pay

When a client doesn’t pay, avoid threats and keep the matter itself out of billing messages.

• Don’t threaten. No talk of credit reports, lawsuits or deadlines the firm hasn’t set and documented.
• Don’t discuss the substance of the matter in a billing message. Talk about the invoice and how to pay it.
• Don’t let a balance sit for 60 days and then send a stern letter.
• Don’t argue a disputed bill on a collection call. Pass it to the billing attorney.

What to do when a client disputes the bill

When a client disputes a legal bill, stop reminders on that invoice and send the question to the billing attorney the same day. Write down exactly what the client questioned, such as two time entries from a hearing or an expense they didn’t expect. A quick, honest explanation resolves most disputes. Many state bars also run fee arbitration or mediation programs for disputes that don’t resolve. Our guide on what to do when a client disputes attorney fees walks through each step.

Clients not paying attorney fees after 90 days

If a client still hasn’t paid after 90 days of steady follow-up, the firm should make a documented decision about the account. Options include keeping a payment plan going, writing off a small balance, or referring the account to a collection agency or outside counsel. State rules vary on when referral is allowed, so check them first, and see what ethics opinions say about collection agencies. For a look at how these balances show up on your reports, see what’s normal in law firm accounts receivable.

Collection follow-up checklist

A complete law firm collection process covers these eight points.

• Fee agreement states due dates, payment methods and payment-plan options.
• Every invoice and reminder carries one working payment link.
• Reminder 1 goes out the day after the due date.
• Reminder 2 goes out about a week later.
• Someone calls by day 14, with approved plan terms in hand.
• Disputes pause outreach and go to the billing attorney the same day.
• Every email and call is logged with the date and outcome.
• Accounts open at day 90 get a documented decision.

If the firm doesn’t have the staff time for this, it can be handed off. ARCounsel is a done-for-you accounts receivable follow-up service for law firms that connects read-only to QuickBooks Online, LeanLaw and Clio. Its AR specialists run this exact process in the firm’s name, using templates the firm approves. Clients pay the firm directly, and the fee is a flat monthly rate, never a percentage. Firms weighing outside help can read our comparison of AR follow-up services for law firms, or see how ARCounsel works.

Frequently asked questions

How soon should a law firm follow up on an unpaid invoice?

Start the day after the due date. A short, friendly reminder at that point feels routine to the client. Waiting 30 or 60 days makes the first contact feel more serious than it needs to, and older balances are harder to collect.

Can a law firm charge interest on unpaid legal fees?

It depends on the fee agreement and on state law and ethics rules. Many firms that charge interest disclose it in the engagement letter. Check your state’s rules before adding interest to a bill.

What’s the best way for a law firm to collect overdue invoices without upsetting clients?

Follow a fixed, courteous schedule: a reminder the day after the due date, a second about a week later, and a phone call by day 14 that asks what is in the way and offers an approved payment plan. Pause right away for disputes.

Clio, QuickBooks and LeanLaw are trademarks of their respective owners. ARCounsel is not affiliated with, partnered with or endorsed by them.