Track, Calculate & Pay Referral Fees.
Other platforms track referral fees and stop there. Disbo goes further — calculating the split, generating ethics documentation, and paying the referring attorney directly.
The Obligation
Firms rely on referral networks for growth and must ensure referring attorneys are paid their agreed percentage promptly and ethically.
The Friction
Tracking who owes what, calculating splits manually, and remembering to cut separate checks after settlement delays payments and risks ethics violations.
The Disbo Standard
Record the referral percentage and supporting documents once. When the case settles, Disbo calculates the fee and routes the approved payment.
Core Capabilities
Automated Calculation
Input the percentage split once; math is handled automatically at disbursement.
Direct Payment
Referral fees are paid directly from the settlement funds—no separate checks.
Ethics Documentation
Keeps jurisdiction-specific disclosure and consent records with the referral payment.
Receivables Tracking
Monitor expected incoming referral fees from other firms on a central dashboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I actually pay referral fees through the software?
Yes — and this is Disbo's core differentiator. Most practice management and trust accounting tools (Clio, CosmoLex, MyCase, TrustBooks, LeanLaw, etc.) let you track that a referral fee is owed, but the actual payment still requires a separate manual step: cutting a check, initiating a wire, or logging into your bank. Disbo closes the loop. When a case settles, the referring attorney is paid directly through Disbo's disbursement workflow — alongside the client, providers, and lienholders — by ACH or check printed and mailed via Lob. No separate process needed.
How do other practice management tools handle referral fees?
Virtually every major legal software platform — Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, Smokeball, CosmoLex, TrustBooks — is 'track only.' They let you note that a referral fee obligation exists, and some will calculate the dollar amount, but the payment is typically a manual step outside the platform. Disbo is built to track the obligation, calculate the fee, generate ethics compliance documentation, and execute the payment in a single integrated workflow.
How does Disbo support referral fee compliance across states?
Referral fee requirements differ by jurisdiction and matter. Disbo keeps client disclosures, written consent, fee-sharing documents, calculations, and payment history together for the firm to review. The firm remains responsible for confirming that each arrangement and document meets the applicable rules.
Do you support multi-attorney fee splits and co-counsel payouts?
Yes. When multiple referring attorneys are involved, Disbo calculates each share from the agreement terms for law-firm review. After approval, payment instructions are initiated together and delivered on the selected rails. Every calculation, authorization, and payment is documented in the audit trail.
How are referral fees calculated?
When a case settles, Disbo automatically calculates the referral fee based on the agreement stored in the system. The fee percentage is applied to the attorney fee (or gross settlement, depending on the agreement terms). Sliding-scale structures, tiered percentages, and multi-party splits are all supported. Every calculation includes a complete audit trail showing the formula applied.
What ethics records does Disbo support?
Disbo helps firms organize referral fee records for all 50 states, including client disclosures, written consent, and fee-split documentation. Because requirements vary by jurisdiction and matter, the firm remains responsible for confirming that each arrangement and document meets the applicable rules.
How are multi-party splits handled?
When multiple referring attorneys are involved in a single case, Disbo calculates each party's share based on their individual agreement terms. The system supports different percentage structures for each referring attorney and ensures the total referral fee obligation is allocated correctly. All splits are documented in the audit trail.
Can I track fees owed to my firm?
Yes. Disbo tracks both outgoing referral fees (fees you owe to referring attorneys) and incoming receivables (fees owed to your firm from cases you referred out). The receivables dashboard shows outstanding amounts, aging categories, and payment history. Automated reminders are sent at 30, 60, and 90 days for overdue receivables.
How does payment work?
Referral fee payments are integrated directly into the settlement disbursement workflow. When you approve a disbursement, the referral fee is paid alongside every other recipient — client, providers, lienholders, and co-counsel. Payments can be sent by ACH, typically in 2–3 business days, or by check printed and mailed via Lob, typically in 7–10 business days, based on the referring attorney's preference stored in the Disbo network.