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Project Bidding

Lawyer Projects - Browse and Bid

The Project Bidding Marketplace works like Upwork for legal work. Clients post a project description and budget, and lawyers submit bids. The client reviews bids and selects the best match.

How It Works​

  1. Client posts a project - title, description, practice area, budget, urgency, and requirements
  2. You browse and bid - using bid credits from your monthly allowance
  3. Client reviews bids - they can message bidders, compare bids, and accept one
  4. Bid accepted → immediate payment - client pays the agreed amount into escrow via Stripe Checkout immediately (no cooling-off for project bids)
  5. Order created - same milestone system as scope-based matters

Browsing Projects​

Go to Lawyer Portal → Projects & Bids → Browse Projects (or use the public esolicitors.com/projects page).

Filter by:

  • Practice area
  • Budget range
  • Urgency (standard / urgent / emergency)
  • Jurisdiction
  • Posted date

Client identity is hidden until your bid is accepted - you see only the project description, budget, and requirements. This protects client privacy and prevents off-platform contact before commitment.

Submitting a Bid​

  1. Click Bid on This Project
  2. Complete the bid form:
    • Proposed fee - your total price for the project
    • Cover letter - your pitch to the client (mandatory)
    • Proposed milestones - break the work into stages with estimated amounts and due dates
    • Timeline - when you can start and complete the work
  3. Click Submit Bid - this deducts 1 bid credit from your monthly allowance

One bid per project - you can only submit one bid per project. You can withdraw and resubmit if the project is still open.

Cover Letters​

Your cover letter is your primary sales tool. It should:

  • Briefly explain your relevant experience
  • Show you have read and understood the project requirements
  • Explain your proposed approach
  • Be professional and specific

Important: Do NOT include contact details (email, phone, WhatsApp) in your cover letter. The platform automatically scans for contact information to prevent off-platform solicitation. Including contact details does not block your bid but is flagged to admin for review.

Bid Credits​

Each bid submission costs 1 bid credit. Credits are included in your monthly plan:

PlanBid Credits/Month
Free5
Pro20
Elite50

Credits refresh on your billing date each month. Unused credits do not roll over.

Credits are not refunded if you do not win a project. Credits ARE refunded if an admin suspends or removes a project from the marketplace.

When Your Bid Is Accepted​

If a client accepts your bid:

  1. You receive an email and in-platform notification
  2. A Stripe Checkout session is created immediately
  3. The client is redirected to pay the agreed amount
  4. Once paid, an active order is created
  5. Your bid milestones become the order milestones
  6. You can begin work

There is no cooling-off period for project bids. Acceptance triggers immediate payment.

My Bids Dashboard​

Go to Lawyer Portal → Projects & Bids → My Bids to see:

  • Pending bids - awaiting client decision
  • Accepted bids - projects you have won
  • Declined bids - projects awarded to another lawyer
  • Withdrawn bids - bids you cancelled before decision

Project Expiry​

Client projects expire after the period set by the client (typically 14–30 days). Expired projects are closed and no further bids are accepted. If you had a pending bid on an expired project, you receive a notification.

Bid Credit Refund Cases​

You receive a credit refund when:

  • An admin suspends or removes the project from the marketplace
  • The project is cancelled by admin due to a policy violation

You do NOT receive a refund when:

  • The client selects another lawyer's bid
  • You withdraw your bid
  • The client cancels the project (this is tracked and can result in restrictions on serial project-cancelling clients)