International disputes are demanding enough without friction over how legal fees are paid. Transnational Matters PLLC offers flat-fee engagements built on defined case milestones, with several ways to fund them — from a traditional retainer to pay-over-time financing to bank-issued payment instruments designed for cross-border clients.
1. Initial Retainer & Flat-Fee Milestones
Most engagements begin with an initial retainer deposited into our trust account, applied against a flat-fee schedule tied to objective case milestones — for example, in an investor-state arbitration: request for arbitration filed, tribunal constituted, memorial filed, hearing held, and award rendered. You know the full cost of each phase before it begins, and fees are earned as milestones are actually reached. No hourly meters, no surprise invoices.
2. Pay Over Time — ClientCredit, Powered by Affirm
Through our payment processor LawPay, qualifying clients can finance legal fees using ClientCredit, powered by Affirm — spreading payment over monthly installments while the firm is paid at engagement. Approval, terms, and any financing cost are set by Affirm, not by the firm, and applying takes minutes at checkout through our Make a Payment page. This option suits individuals and smaller companies who prefer to preserve cash flow during a dispute.
3. Standby Letters of Credit — Keep Your Capital at Your Bank
For international clients — investor-state arbitrations especially — we accept bank-issued standby letters of credit under ISP98 in two configurations. In both, your funds never leave your own banking relationship, and to understand the instrument family, see our guide to letters of credit vs. standby letters of credit.
Security Standby — In Lieu of an Initial Retainer
Rather than depositing a cash retainer, your bank issues a standby in the firm’s favor as payment security. We invoice as case milestones are reached and you pay in the ordinary course; the standby is never touched unless an earned, invoiced amount remains unpaid after written notice and a cure period. Draws are limited to fees already earned and invoiced — never future amounts. Because the bank prices it as a contingent instrument, this is typically the least expensive structure for corporate clients, and your cash stays at your institution for the life of the case.
Direct-Pay Standby — Your Bank Pays Milestones Directly
For clients who prefer that the bank handle payment itself, a direct-pay standby — the same instrument structure long used to run payment flows in the municipal bond market — makes your bank the primary payment route. As the case reaches the defined milestones in the fee schedule, we present a milestone certificate and the bank pays the corresponding installment directly; the available amount steps down with each draw, and you settle with your bank under your own reimbursement agreement.
Both structures are designed with client protections built in — including a defined dispute window after each milestone invoice before any presentation is made, and a fixed expiry keyed to the expected life of the case. They suit clients who prefer to keep capital inside their own institution, corporates with existing letter-of-credit facilities, and parties in jurisdictions where cross-border wires to foreign counsel are slow or restricted. Your bank will have its own fee and collateral terms; we are glad to coordinate directly with your treasury or relationship banker.
Accepted Payment Methods
We accept wire transfer and ACH, all major credit and debit cards and eCheck through LawPay, ClientCredit financing, and, for approved engagements, SWIFT-verified bank instruments as described above. Tribunal and institutional costs — such as ICSID or ICC advances on costs — remain payable in cash under the applicable institutional rules and are separate from legal fees.
To discuss which structure fits your situation, contact the firm or call 305.417.9866.
This page is general information about available fee arrangements, not banking, financing, or legal advice regarding any specific instrument. Financing is subject to approval and terms set by Affirm. Letter-of-credit arrangements are documented individually as part of the engagement agreement.
Fee and payment terms reviewed and approved by the firm — August 26, 2026.
