Important information your clients should know about plaintiff funding before they decide to borrow money.

1. Don’t do it until you’ve explored all of your other financial options, including “borrowing” from family and friends.

2. Don’t be surprised if your lawyer tried to talk you out of it. “Borrowing” against your case can be very expensive and therefore a potentially bad financial decision. Make sure you really need the money before you “borrow” it.

3. Think long term. If you “borrow” money today, will it actually solve a problem or merely delay it? You can only “borrow” so much against your case so come up with a game plan for the future.

4. Recognize that the longer it takes for you case to conclude, the more money you will ultimately be required to repay the funding company. In other words, try to avoid “borrowing” too early in your case.

5. If you do “borrow” against your case, know that your attorney has an ethical obligation to honor your agreement with the funding company. That means you cannot later ask your attorney to ignore the funding company’s lien.

6. You should know that the funding company determines how much money, if any, it will advance to you. This decision is not up to your attorney.

7. If you absolutely must contact a funding company, choose one endorsed and recognized for its professionalism by attorneys and attorney-organizations nationwide.

*Please note this product is not a loan

-DJ Kepler