Online retainer requests on 4 billing tools

The cited pages for these four tools describe distinct methods for initiating retainer payments, but they do not provide a uniform list of features.

• PracticePanther: The page states that PantherPayments allows you to request retainer payments from clients without needing an invoice, according to PracticePanther.
• MyCase: The page notes that creating a request for trust funds requires billing permissions, according to MyCase. The page does not describe the client’s payment method or the destination account for the funds.
• Smokeball: The page explains that selecting Credit Card Deposit Request sends an email to the client with a link to a credit card payment portal, where they can make a deposit by credit card in their own time, according to Smokeball. The page does not state whether this request requires an invoice or specific user permissions.
• TimeSolv: The page mentions automating replenishments based on billing cycles or matter activity, according to TimeSolv. The page does not describe how a specific retainer request is sent to a client or the payment method the client uses.

The four tools reviewed here are PracticePanther, MyCase, Smokeball, and TimeSolv. The cited pages describe methods for requesting or collecting a retainer online, but they do not all state the same details about account routing or client experience. The Illinois State Bar Association notes that security retainers, even when paid by credit card, must be deposited into a lawyer's trust account, according to Illinois State Bar Association. This rule applies specifically to Illinois and does not determine the features of any specific software. PracticePanther, MyCase, and Smokeball state what the page offers for sending a payment request, but some pages do not specify whether the money goes to a trust or operating account. You should check each tool's own page to see if it explicitly states how a retainer payment is routed. Do not assume a tool can route funds to a trust account unless its own documentation says so. The comparison in this guide is limited to what is written on the specific official pages read for this article. No ranking is provided, and no tool is recommended over another. Your firm's needs will determine which stated features are useful to you.

Credit-card transactions raise a few special ethics issues, one of which - payment for retainer fees - is the subject of ISBA Ethics Opinion 14-01, issued earlier this year, according to Illinois State Bar Association. This rule is specific to an Illinois State Bar ethics opinion and does not apply to other states. Do not assume that a tool’s feature set makes a firm compliant or safe; the Illinois State Bar Association article is about Illinois and is not legal advice. If your firm operates in Illinois, read ISBA Ethics Opinion 14-01 on payment for retainer fees.

We reviewed specific pages for PracticePanther, MyCase, Smokeball, and TimeSolv to identify exactly how a retainer request is initiated and where the funds are directed. For this comparison, we focused on two primary data points: the specific steps the firm takes to make the request and what the client sees or does to complete the payment.

For PracticePanther, we examined the help center article titled "How can I send my client a request for payment into the IOLTA/Trust Account using PantherPayments?" This page details a numbered sequence for sending a payment request. The documented sequence includes step 3, selecting the specific Contact and Matter for which the payment is being requested, as stated in the PracticePanther documentation. The next step, step 4, involves selecting the option to "Add a Retainer" and clicking "Request Payment," according to PracticePanther. At step 7, the firm reviews the message and clicks "Email" to send the payment request to the client, according to the PracticePanther guide.

The table below summarizes how each cited page describes requesting a retainer, where the funds go, and what the client experiences. Each row relies solely on the specific facts provided for that publisher.

Check your shortlist against these stated capabilities to identify which tool aligns with your firm's current workflow.

The pages for these four tools describe specific workflows and account structures, but they do not provide a general ranking or a "best for" verdict. What follows is a direct summary of what each page states about its own capabilities.

PracticePanther The page titled "How can I send my client a request for payment into the IOLTA/Trust Account using PantherPayments?" states that a firm can choose whether to receive the payment into its Operating or Trust/Escrow account. According to PracticePanther, this choice is available when sending a request for payment. The page does not state whether this applies to all payment types or only to specific retainer scenarios beyond the title's focus on IOLTA/Trust accounts.

MyCase The page titled "Non-Trust Retainers and Credit Accounts" defines non-trust retainers or Credits as funds received in a firm's operating account that have not yet been earned or billed for, according to MyCase. The page does not describe how a client initiates this payment or whether a portal is required.

Smokeball The page titled "Set up credit card payments for trust deposits" states that a firm must have enrolled in Smokeball Payments or LawPay to use the credit card features discussed. According to Smokeball, this setup is a prerequisite for handling credit card payments for trust deposits. The same page notes that saved credit cards cannot be used for trust or operating retainer.

TimeSolv Clients who already have Client Portal access can initiate trust replenishments, according to TimeSolv.

Use this worksheet to verify specific features on your shortlist before committing to a platform. The first row addresses account routing, a critical distinction for retainer funds. PracticePanther’s help page states that users can choose whether to receive payment into an Operating or Trust/Escrow account, according to PracticePanther. For the other tools, read whether their own pages explicitly state this capability. If a page does not specify the destination account for card payments, note that gap for further inquiry.

Read these features for PracticePanther, MyCase, Smokeball, and TimeSolv: choose Operating or Trust/Escrow account for payment, send an online payment request to the client, and whether the client pays the retainer by credit card.

Check each tool’s official documentation for statements about sending online payment requests and accepting credit card payments for retainers. Treat the feature as present only if the page explicitly describes the feature. This process ensures you are evaluating documented capabilities rather than assumed features. Use the results to narrow your shortlist to tools that clearly support your specific retainer collection workflow.

A firm has 4 matters and sends 1 security retainer request before work on 1 of them. The sender follows 3 actions: choose the contact and matter, choose add a retainer and request payment, then review the message and send the email. The illustrative amount is 460. This sketch is not a fee schedule and not a court rule. It shows the order of those 3 actions so you can rehearse the check. If the screen names neither an operating account nor a trust account, do not guess.

Today, open the linked PracticePanther, MyCase, Smokeball, and TimeSolv pages and write down whether each page describes an online retainer or trust request and whether it names an operating account or a trust account.

Can a client pay a retainer by credit card into a trust account?

The Illinois State Bar article notes that security retainers paid by credit card must be deposited into a trust account. This rule applies specifically to Illinois and does not constitute legal advice for other jurisdictions.

Do I need an invoice before I can ask a client for a retainer?

For PracticePanther, no. PantherPayments gives you the ability to request retainer payments from your clients without needing an invoice, according to PracticePanther.

What happens if my client has no portal login?

If your client doesn't have a portal set up, the requested funds will be sent to their email address, as long as it's on file, according to MyCase.

Can a saved credit card be used for a retainer?

For Smokeball, no. Saved credit cards cannot be used for trust or operating retainer, according to Smokeball.

Can one retainer be used for more than one matter?

If the retainer is stored on the contact level, it will be usable for any matter connected to that contact, according to PracticePanther.