Clio Expands Legal Payments with Affirm

By Milan Rojan

Clio has expanded its legal payments platform in Canada by integrating Pay Later with Affirm, enabling law firms to offer clients instalment-based payment options while receiving the full invoice amount upfront.

AJ Axelrod, Vice President, Payments and Financial Services at Clio, said: “Canadian law firms tell us that financial friction is one of the most stressful parts of running a practice. Pay Later with Affirm changes that dynamic. By building this directly into the Clio platform, we’re making legal services more accessible and more sustainable for people across Canada, and we’re helping firms operate with financial confidence.”

The integration has embedded Affirm’s buy now, pay later (BNPL) solution into Clio Payments and Clio Manage, allowing eligible clients to spread legal fees over time. The move has aimed to improve access to legal services while helping firms strengthen cash flow and reduce payment delays.

The offering has addressed a common challenge faced by law firms, where large upfront retainers can create barriers for clients seeking legal representation. Through the embedded solution, Affirm has managed billing and repayment, while participating firms have continued to receive payment in full at the time of the transaction.

Wayne Pommen, Chief Revenue Officer at Affirm, said: “By embedding Affirm directly into Clio’s platform, we’re helping to expand access to legal services, and in turn, helping Canadian firms grow their businesses.”

The integrated workflow has also ensured that payments are automatically reconciled and remain compliant with trust accounting requirements, reducing administrative complexity for legal professionals.

The launch has reflected continued demand for embedded financing solutions across professional services, with legal technology providers increasingly integrating flexible payment options to improve client affordability while supporting firms with faster and more predictable cash flow.