When an invoice paid from a client's retainer leaves less than 25% of the agreed deposit, the client gets an email with the balance, recent charges and a payment link, with the responsible lawyer copied, before work runs ahead of funds.
Typical results
25%
Balance threshold that triggers a request
≈3 hrs/mo
Lawyer time no longer spent chasing top-ups
Same day
Request sent when the balance drops
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
In a boutique employment practice, work often continues after a client's retainer has been used up, because nobody checks the balance until the next invoice. By then the firm has done weeks of unfunded work, asking for more money feels awkward, and some matters end with a large final invoice that is paid late or not at all.
Before and after
Hours of work done ahead of funds per month
−60%Matters ending with a large unpaid invoice per quarter
−67%Hours a month chasing retainer top-ups
−75%The automation
Each time an invoice is paid from a client's retainer in the billing system, the remaining balance is checked against the agreed deposit. When it falls below 25%, the client receives an email with the current balance, a list of recent charges and a payment link, generated in the billing system, to top up the retainer. The responsible lawyer is copied, and a top-up paid through the link is recorded against the retainer.
How it works
- 01
Invoice paid from retainer
The billing system records an invoice paid from the client's retainer and updates the remaining balance.
- 02
Balance checked against deposit
The new balance is compared with the agreed deposit for that matter, and anything under 25% triggers a request.
- 03
Top-up email sent
The client gets an email with the current balance, recent charges and a payment link, with the responsible lawyer copied.
- 04
Payment recorded
A top-up paid through the link is recorded against the retainer in the billing system, so no repeat request goes out.
Starts from
- Invoice paid from retainer
Delivers
- Top-up email with charges
- Payment link
- Responsible lawyer copied
The impact
Work done ahead of funds typically drops by about 60%, from around 50 hours a month to 20. Matters ending with a large unpaid final invoice fall from about 6 a quarter to 2, and lawyers spend roughly an hour a month chasing top-ups instead of four.
Questions about this automation
Can the threshold be different per client?
Yes. The 25% threshold is the default, and any matter can carry its own level or a fixed amount, for example a higher trigger for a matter heading into a hearing with heavy work ahead. The value sits on the matter record in the billing system, so lawyers change it without touching the automation.
Will clients get repeated emails?
No. One request is sent each time the balance crosses below the threshold. Further invoices paid from the same retainer do not trigger another email until the client has topped up and the balance has dropped below the line again, so clients are never flooded.
What happens if the client does not top up?
If no payment arrives within 7 days, the responsible lawyer gets a task showing the balance and the hours logged since the request, and decides whether to call the client or pause non-urgent work. Simple automations like this are usually live within days, with wording that follows the retainer terms in the engagement letter.