Fact Check: Settlement Loan & Lawyer Sign Off

Updated: July 15, 2023 6:50 am
5 min read
Aaron Winston, Strategy Director at Express Legal Funding.
Aaron R. Winston, PhD
Author & Strategy Director

Content Metada

Title:
Fact Check: Settlement Loan & Lawyer Sign Off
Thumbnail:
Fact Check: Does my lawyer have to sign off on a settlement loan?
Author:
Aaron R. Winston
Published Date:
July 6, 2023
Last Updated Date:
July 15, 2023 6:50 am
Publisher:
Express Legal Funding
Copyright Owner:
© Unkown Entity Holdings, LLC

Content Context

Primary Content Category:
Secondary Content Category:
Relevant Keywords:
Relevant Hashtags:
Additional Insight:

Claim: Does my Lawyer Have to Sign Off on a Settlement Loan? No. A settlement loan is typically handled between the plaintiff and a lender.

Claimed By: Investopedia

Fact Check: Not true. It is industry standard and best practice for legal funding companies to require attorneys to sign Attorney Acknowledgements for each pre-settlement advance a client obtains. If not, they are unable to provide the client with funding.

It is standard to how pre-settlement funding works that claimants who obtain funding make an Irrevocable Letter of Direction, which tells their attorney to pay what is owed to the lawsuit funding company before the client receives their final settlement check from their law firm.

The lawyer acknowledges they will do that in the Attorney Acknowledgement. Legal funding agreements are even riskier for the funding companies when attorneys are not involved to this degree, as they are less likely to be paid their ownership amount from the claim proceeds.

Personal injury settlement checks are sent to law firms and not the clients themselves. That is how contingency fee-based attorneys and medical providers get paid.

Fact Check By: Express Legal Funding

Disclaimer: Express Legal Funding is a pre-settlement funding company and is not a law firm. While the content on this page is well-researched and reviewed by licensed attorneys, it does not constitute legal advice and should not be considered a substitute for legal representation.

About the Author

Aaron R. Winston, PhD

Aaron Winston, PhD, is the Strategy Director of Express Legal Funding. Widely recognized as “The Legal Funding Expert,” Aaron Winston brings over a decade of experience in the consumer finance industry, including years as a consultant to a leading financial advisory firm managing more than $400 million in client assets.

Aaron Winston is a respected author, strategist, and legal content innovator whose SEO-focused research spans multiple industries. He earned the title “The Legal Funding Expert” by writing authoritative, well-researched guides and blog posts on pre-settlement funding, legal finance, and law firm marketing. His articles attract tens of thousands of readers every month and include some of the most widely read content in the lawsuit funding space.

As a PhD holder in Legal Technology, Aaron Winston applies academic rigor to real-world consumer finance issues. In his role at Express Legal Funding, he has dedicated thousands of hours to educating plaintiffs, empowering attorneys, and advancing ethical standards in the legal funding industry.

Aaron Winston is also the author of A Word For The Wise. A Warning For The Stupid. Canons of Conduct—a 2023 poetry book of 35 original canons focused on values-driven conduct and strategic thinking.

In early 2022, Aaron Winston earned top 5% recognition in LinkedIn’s SEO skills assessment and holds verified skills badges in both SEO and Google Ads. His unique slogans and company trademarks are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, reflecting his attention to brand integrity and thought leadership.

Aaron Winston has been featured in multiple high-profile interviews and industry case studies, including a 2021 smith.ai interview and a 2022 legal funding company growth report. In 2023, WordLift highlighted Aaron and Express Legal Funding in a leading SEO author case study for exceptional performance in legal content marketing and E-E-A-T standards. In 2024, a separate case study by Kinsta showcased Aaron Winston’s technical SEO and content scalability methods, further cementing his role as a pioneer in organic legal content strategy.

Born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in Dallas, Aaron Winston attended Akiba Academy and continues to combine academic insight with forward-thinking innovation. His work at the intersection of law, technology, and consumer advocacy continues to drive meaningful change in how legal funding is understood and accessed.

Get in Touch