Industry — 4 min read

How to get your law firm paid faster – and why it streamlines your workflow

Manual invoicing has been a staple of the legal industry for as long as law firms have been getting paid. Track time, draft the invoice, and send the PDF. There’s a follow-up, more time passes, and more often than not, you chase again.

It’s not the most efficient way of spending your day in an industry that really is demanding on your time. Most law firms still wait 30-60 days to get paid. That’s a long time from when you delivered a service for your cash flow to be stagnant.

Also, it takes a ton of admin time that could be better used helping with legal tasks. Clients expect a law firm to act at speed; 66% prefer paying online, with firms that offer online payments getting paid 39% faster.

So, how can you get paid — and quickly?

It’s not just old-fashioned, it’s costly

Manual invoicing eats into your time and money. Time is money after all, but this impacts your client experience too.

Creating invoices and sending constant reminders can add extra stress to your clients, who are already emotional (legal action can be demanding). It also taxes your team. Think of all those hours spent processing checks, following up, and tracking everything — time that could be put to helping clients win cases.

Cash flow also becomes an issue with unpaid invoices. Law firms’ average lockup is 92 days. Which means your firm could have three months of revenue that is either unbilled or uncollected. It’s time-consuming, costly, and doesn’t accurately reflect how your firm is operating.

When it comes to rushing to collect these payments, mistakes creep in. Here is where automation really pays off and can deliver a return on investment. It works even better in an all-in-one system.

Manual billing vs modern billing

The old way	Modern payments
Appointments are logged on separate software (if any).Time is tracked manually for each appointment, where an invoice is created and sent by post or email.Follow-ups, reminders, final reminders.With trickling in slowly.	Clients can self-schedule appointments on your Booking Page, or your Live Receptionist can book them in.Full or partial payments required at the time of booking. Invoices created automatically. Records in your scheduling software (who’s paid, who hasn’t).Clients can pay online or in person — and fast.

Combining scheduling with payments ensures you can track every appointment and oversee their payments in one place. Setmore lets clients pay instantly with cards or digital wallets. This leads to fewer errors, a better client experience, and, if your firm is growing, it is easily scalable.

The key is not just handling payments for the here and now, but painting a fuller picture of what your firm can become in the future.

8 ways law firms get paid faster

1. Take payment at booking
It’s the most obvious, yet simple: Make payments mandatory on your Booking Page. This way, clients pay in advance, no-shows decrease, and there’s no need to invoice. You can either collect full fees or partial payments before the first consultation.

2. Offer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
Legal fees can get expensive. Offer your clients flexibility and peace of mind with BNPL through Stripe. Your clients can spread their payments over manageable months, while your firm gets paid upfront. Win-win!

3. Set up your service prices

Having accurate pricing on your website, Booking Page, and marketing materials lets customers know how much they’ll need to spend. This creates clear expectations even before booking.

4. Accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, and cards

Modernize your payment offering and let clients pay their way with Apple Pay, Google Pay, debit, or credit cards. Less friction, more payments.

5. Accept payments in person

Connect Square and use your Square terminal for walk-ins, consultations, or legal advice. No hardware, or you’re a mobile firm? No issue. Use your phone with Tap to Pay with Stripe.

6. Secure deposits for your services

Your time is valuable. Ensure only people with real intent book your law firm by requiring a deposit on your Booking Page. Clients are committed, and your time is protected.

7. Connect the right software

With Setmore, you can connect Square, Stripe, PayPal, or LawPay. Each one brings a unique offering, with LawPay designed for the legal profession. Having an all-in-one solution leads to fewer missed payments.

8. Track everything in one place

View payments, deposits, and outstanding balances in real time. Payments are tagged on appointments, and you can check the overall dashboard for complete overview. Receipts are automatic. Less admin. Clearer cash flow.

Switching to automated billing (the super simple way)

Step 1: Find the pain points

Where do delays happen? Is it chasing checks? Manual data entry? Client confusion?

Step 2: Connect a payment processor

Tools like LawPay support IOLTA compliance, while Stripe offers flexible global payments.

Step 3: Train your team

Short, simple training goes a long way. Once staff see how easy it is, adoption follows.

Step 4: Automate common scenarios

Set rules for retainers, recurring payments, or matter-based billing so invoices run on autopilot.

Step 5: Monitor and refine

Track days to payment, time saved, and collection rates. Adjust based on real results.

Less paperwork. Faster payments. Happier clients.

Manual invoicing has served its purpose, but your day can be much more streamlined.

With a powerful all-in-one solution, you can combine scheduling, payments, and client information into a single, seamless workflow. Faster payments, more time for what matters, and a predictable cash flow.

Start with Setmore FREE and see how automated payments and scheduling can get your law firm paid faster.