Documents You Need Before a Paymaster Can Receive Funds

Before an attorney paymaster can receive or pay funds, it must know who every party is and what the transaction is. Having these documents ready keeps the transaction moving.

For every individual

• A clear copy of a current passport or driver's license.
• Residential address and phone number.
• IRS Form W-9 (U.S. persons) or Form W-8BEN (others). See W-9 or W-8BEN.

For every company

• Formation documents, such as articles of incorporation or a certificate of good standing.
• The name, date of birth and address of each owner of 25% or more, and of the person who controls the company.
• Proof that the person signing has authority.
• IRS Form W-9 or W-8BEN-E.

For the transaction

• The purchase contract or other agreement for the transaction.
• The signed commission agreement or payment instructions naming each beneficiary.
• An explanation of where the funds come from.
• Bank details for each payment, in the beneficiary's own name.

Submitting your documents

Clients of the firm complete the Client Information Sheet online and upload documents through the secure client portal. The portal requires a confirmed email address, a strong password and two-step sign in, and files are encrypted on the server. Please do not send identification documents or bank details by ordinary email.