Milestone Payments
eSolicitors uses an escrow-based milestone payment system to protect your money. You pay upfront, but your lawyer only receives funds as you approve each piece of work.
How Escrow Works
When you pay for your matter:
- The full amount is held in Stripe escrow (a secure payment hold)
- Your lawyer cannot access the funds until you approve their work
- If a dispute arises, the funds remain frozen until it is resolved
- Escrow is released milestone by milestone - your lawyer does not receive everything at once
What Happens at Each Milestone
1. Lawyer Submits the Milestone
When your lawyer completes a piece of work, they submit it in their portal. You receive a notification: "Your lawyer has submitted [Milestone Name] for your review."
2. You Review the Work
In your client portal, go to My Orders → [Order] → Milestones. Click on the submitted milestone to:
- Read the description of what was delivered
- Download and review any documents uploaded by your lawyer
- Check the amount that will be released on approval
3. You Approve, Dispute, or Wait
| Your Action | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Approve | Milestone funds are released to the lawyer within 2–7 business days |
| Dispute | Funds are frozen; a dispute case is opened with eSolicitors admin |
| No action (14 days) | Funds are automatically released (auto-release protection) |
The 14-Day Review Window
You have 14 days from the milestone submission date to review and respond.
If you do not approve or dispute within 14 days, the funds are automatically released to the lawyer. This auto-release mechanism exists to protect lawyers from clients who receive completed work and then go silent.
You receive reminders:
- 7 days after submission: email reminder to review
- 12 days after submission: final reminder before auto-release
- On auto-release: notification confirming the release
If you are unable to review within 14 days (e.g., due to illness), contact your lawyer via the platform messaging system to discuss. They may submit an extension request on your behalf.
Disputing a Milestone
If you are not satisfied with the work delivered:
- Click Dispute on the milestone
- Provide a clear reason and, if possible, supporting documentation
- The milestone funds are frozen immediately
- An eSolicitors admin receives the dispute within 1 business day
- Both you and your lawyer submit your case and evidence
- Admin resolves the dispute within 5 business days with one of:
- Full release to lawyer (if work was delivered as agreed)
- Partial release (shared resolution)
- Full refund to you (if work was not delivered as agreed)
Disputes are final - the admin decision is binding on both parties.
Disbursements
Disbursements are out-of-pocket expenses your lawyer incurs on your behalf (court fees, search fees, Land Registry fees, etc.).
These are collected separately from your matter escrow:
- Your lawyer logs a disbursement with a description and amount
- You receive a notification to approve or decline
- If you approve, Stripe charges your payment card directly
- Your lawyer pays the third party and provides a receipt
- The receipt is uploaded and verified against the claimed amount
You are never charged for a disbursement without clicking Approve.
Seeing Your Escrow Status
In your client portal, the order overview shows:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Funded | All escrow received - no milestones released yet |
| Partially Released | Some milestones approved, some still in escrow |
| Fully Released | All milestones approved - matter complete |
| Refunded | Escrow returned to you (dispute resolution or cancellation) |
Project Bid Payments
If your lawyer was engaged via the project bidding marketplace (you posted a project and accepted a bid), the payment mechanism is the same:
- You pay the agreed bid amount into escrow immediately on accepting the bid (no cooling-off period for project bids)
- Work proceeds via milestones
- Approval and auto-release rules are identical
Template Purchases
Template purchases are a separate, one-time payment. They are not held in escrow - the purchase is immediate and the download is available instantly after payment.