Step by step
Pay out of client money
Pay a client's money out of the client account: an advocate asks, with the client's authority, a partner who did not ask approves, and accounts records it released at the bank.
Money a client leaves with the firm (a deposit for disbursements, purchase money, a settlement) stays the client’s, in the client account. Paying any of it out takes three people: someone asks for it with the client’s authority, a partner who did not ask approves it, and someone else records it released once the bank has paid it. Nothing is posted until then. In the demo, Cynthia Achieng (associate) asks, Tom Otieno (partner) approves and Grace Mwikali (accounts) releases.
Open Client money
Go to Fees and client money › Client money: “Money held for clients in the client accounts, kept apart from the firm’s own (Advocates (Accounts) Rules).” An advocate sees only the matters they work on: “You see the client money of the matters you work on.” Tap Ask to pay out.
Choose the matter
Type part of its number or name and choose it. Kila shows what the matter holds and what is free, for example “Held KES 250,000.00. Free to pay out: KES 250,000.00.” Money held as stakeholder, and money already asked for, is not free.
Say who is paid, how and what for
Type the Amount and who it is Paid to, with Their bank account, till or paybill if you have it. Choose How (Bank transfer, RTGS, EFT, Cheque or M-Pesa) and What for, such as Stamp duty, Registration and land fees, Disbursement for the client or Refund to the client. Wanted on and Reference are optional.
Give the client's authority and the evidence
Under The client’s authority, say what the client gave you: “Their letter, e-mail or signed completion statement, with its date.” Tap Attach for the evidence (an invoice, a completion statement, the instructions): a photo or a PDF, up to 4 MB.
Tap Ask for approval
Kila says, for example, CMR-00019 waits for approval by a partner. The request is listed under Payments out as Waiting for approval. You cannot approve a request you asked for.
A partner checks it and approves
The partners see it For you to decide. Tom opens it and reads The client’s authority, the evidence and the steps so far. He taps Approve: “KES 5,000.00 to Business Registration Service (filing fees). You confirm the client’s authority and the evidence.” Kila says CMR-00019 approved. Accounts release it at the bank.
Accounts pays it at the bank
The request is now Approved: to release, and accounts sees it For you to release. Grace pays it through the bank or M-Pesa as usual, then opens it in Kila and taps Record it released at the bank: “Record it once the bank has paid it.” She chooses How it was paid, checks the Value date and types the M-Pesa code (or the Bank reference or Cheque number).
Tap Record
Kila posts it and says, for example, CMR-00019 paid: CM-000043 posted on 2026-10-30. The request is Paid, and the matter’s ledger is KES 5,000.00 lower.
Check the steps
The request keeps who did what: Asked for by Cynthia Achieng, Approved by Tom Otieno and Released at the bank by Grace Mwikali, with the method, the code, the value date and the entry it posted. Once the payment is matched on the bank statement, it shows Paid and on the statement.
The law says
Client money belongs to the clients and is kept in the client accounts, apart from the firm’s money, under the Advocates (Accounts) Rules. In Kila the client’s authority comes with each request, nothing is posted until the bank has paid, and each client’s ledger shows every movement.
Who does what
Link to this section: Who does what- Asks: the advocates, the partners and accounts, on the matters they can see.
- Approves: a partner who did not ask. Above the firm’s second limit, two partners: at Wanjiru & Otieno Advocates, every payment needs one partner and a payment above KES 1,000,000 needs two.
- Releases: accounts. After approval Kila says: “Approved. Someone with the right to release payments, who neither approved it nor asked for it, records it released at the bank.”
The owner sets the limits in The firm › Practice configuration, under Practice rules and Money: Client money payments need approval above (0: every payment) and Two approvals above.
It needs two partners
Link to this section: It needs two partnersEach partner approves in turn. The steps show, for example, Approved by Tom Otieno (1 of 2) and Waiting for 1 more approval until the second partner approves.
The partner will not approve it
Link to this section: The partner will not approve itThe partner taps Do not approve and gives the Reason. The request shows Not approved, and nothing is paid.
It was asked for by mistake
Link to this section: It was asked for by mistakeOpen it and tap Cancel it, with the reason. Only the person who asked, or a partner, can cancel it.
The money is for another of the client’s matters
Link to this section: The money is for another of the client’s mattersIn Ask to pay out, choose Move to another matter instead of Pay someone. The dialog becomes Move client money to another matter and asks for To the matter.
The bank did not pay it
Link to this section: The bank did not pay itAccounts opens the paid request and taps The bank did not pay it: “The money goes back on the client’s ledger with a correcting entry, and an exception is opened.” Type What the bank said and tap Put it back.
- Agree the fees on a matter: a deposit asked for is held as client money.
- Advocate, Partner and Accounts: who asks, approves and releases.