Your attorney connects the funding review to the legal claim. They also help you consider how the proposed agreement fits with the case and the money that could remain from a recovery.
This guide covers the attorney's role from the first conversation through reviewing a written offer. It explains Cherokee's process and gives you questions to take to your own attorney. It does not provide advice about how to pursue a claim.
Chapter 1 / 6
Have representation before you apply
An attorney must represent you before you apply to Cherokee. The funding team confirms the claim with that attorney and asks for acknowledgment of the funding before money is issued.
If you are still looking for representation, a state or local bar association lawyer-referral service can help you find one. Cherokee does not recommend or select a particular attorney.
Having an attorney is a starting requirement, not an approval. Cherokee still reviews the case and confirms availability before making a written offer.
Chapter 2 / 6
Explain the need in concrete terms
Bring the expense that prompted the request into the conversation. Tell your attorney the amount, its due date and what you are considering. A clear request is easier to discuss than a general question about whether all funding is good or bad.
If you have received written terms, bring those too. Ask how the cash received and the payoff could fit with the other amounts due from a recovery. Keep a possible funding agreement separate from decisions about whether to accept a settlement.
You can ask what a smaller request would look like if the proposed amount exceeds the immediate need. That does not guarantee approval or remove the need to review the cost.
- The expense and due date are clear.
- The proposed funded amount is available in writing.
- Charges and payoff terms can be reviewed together.
- Any existing advances have been disclosed.
Chapter 3 / 6
Understand what confirmation is for
Cherokee reviews the claim with the attorney handling it. The attorney's office is the contact for confirming the legal case before funding. Make sure the team has the office's current contact information.
Ask what information remains outstanding and which person should respond. A form submitted by you, a written offer and the attorney's acknowledgment are different steps. Following up on the missing step is more useful than sending repeated applications.
If representation or office contact information changes, tell the funding team. Do not assume the review will automatically find the new contact.
Chapter 4 / 6
Work through a specific concern about the offer
If your attorney is hesitant, ask whether the concern is the total cost, the amount requested, the timing or missing case information. Start with that issue and the written terms.
For a cost question, ask for the payoff at several possible settlement dates. For a process question, ask Cherokee to identify the confirmation or acknowledgment still needed. Get explanations in writing so everyone can review the same information.
Cherokee needs attorney confirmation and acknowledgment before issuing funds. The process does not offer a way to bypass that requirement. A smaller amount or a different proposed term still needs review.
Chapter 5 / 6
Keep the legal decisions with you and your attorney
Cherokee does not direct the prosecution, settlement or resolution of a claim. Every decision about the case remains with you and your attorney, and funding does not tie you to a particular attorney.
Your attorney can help explain how a proposed payoff would affect the distribution of a recovery. Do not assume that receiving an advance changes the value of the legal claim or guarantees a particular settlement.
Questions about legal strategy or representation should be addressed with your attorney. A funding conversation is about whether to accept a financial agreement, not a substitute for that legal advice.
Chapter 6 / 6
Finish with the agreement and state terms
Before signing, understand the funded amount, charges and payoff terms. Discuss any uncertainty about how the payoff would fit with other amounts due from the recovery. Keep a copy of the agreement and written clarifications.
For non-recourse funding, repayment comes from a settlement or court award under the agreement. If there is no recovery, you owe Cherokee nothing under that agreement. In South Carolina, the product is offered as a supervised consumer loan. Review the terms for your state.
An attorney's involvement does not make funding free or establish an approval. There is no fee to submit the website application; charges for an approved advance are disclosed in writing. Ask before signing if an explanation and the document do not agree.
