How Did a Chicago Family Law Firm Recover $1.4 Million in Unpaid Fees?
CollBox Team
A family law firm in Chicago has recovered about $1.4 million in unpaid invoices since joining CollBox in January 2025. Against what it has paid CollBox over those 21 months, that works out to a 118x ROI. The firm runs its billing in Smokeball, and CollBox works its past-due balances automatically through that integration.
Who is this firm?
- Practice area: Family law
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Practice management system: Smokeball
- With CollBox since: January 2025 (21 months)
- Recovered through CollBox: about $1.4 million
- ROI: 118x
Why is collecting fees so hard in family law?
Family law clients are often paying legal fees during one of the most stressful and expensive periods of their lives. A divorce or custody matter can stretch for months, invoices pile up, and many clients fall behind not out of bad faith but because their finances are in flux.
That puts family law attorneys in an awkward spot. Calling a client about a past-due invoice in the middle of a custody dispute feels terrible, so a lot of firms simply do not do it. The balance ages, and by the time anyone looks closely, it is much harder to recover.
What did CollBox change?
CollBox connected to the firm’s Smokeball account, pulled in past-due invoices, and began working every eligible balance up to 180 days past due. Our AR team handles the outreach with a consistent, professional tone, so attorneys no longer have to choose between protecting the relationship and getting paid.
Payments go straight to the firm. The attorneys get their time back, and no one at the firm has to make the uncomfortable call.
What were the results?
In 21 months, the firm has recovered about $1.4 million in invoices through CollBox. Its total spend with CollBox is less than one percent of that amount.
That puts this firm among the top 10% of CollBox’s law firm clients by return. For context, the median CollBox law firm client has a 24x ROI. This firm is nearly five times that.
“Family law is where we see the biggest gap between what’s owed and what gets collected. These attorneys care about their clients, and that makes them the last people who want to send a reminder. When someone else handles it consistently, the money comes in.” Matt Darner, Co-founder and CEO, CollBox
What does this mean for other family law firms?
Most family law firms do not have a collections problem so much as a follow-up problem. If your firm bills on an ongoing basis and has invoices sitting past 30, 60, or 90 days, there is a good chance a meaningful share of that money is recoverable with consistent outreach.
Firms on Smokeball, Clio, or MyCase can connect CollBox directly, so there is no manual export or data entry involved.
Frequently asked questions
Can CollBox help a family law firm collect from clients going through a divorce?
Yes. Family law is one of the most common practice areas CollBox works with. Our outreach is designed to be firm and professional without being aggressive, which matters when clients are already under stress.
Does CollBox work with Smokeball?
Yes. CollBox integrates directly with Smokeball, as well as Clio and MyCase. Past-due invoices sync automatically, and payments are reflected back in the firm’s system.
Talk to us about your firm’s AR
If your family law firm has unpaid invoices building up, book a consultation with the CollBox team. We will look at what you have outstanding and what is realistically recoverable.
