Is legal funding regulated in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois regulates consumer legal funding under the Consumer Legal Funding Act, which licenses funders and requires clear disclosures. Plaintiffs with an attorney can get non-recourse advances with no monthly payments and no credit check, and owe nothing if the case loses.
Key facts
- Regulated under the Illinois Consumer Legal Funding Act.
- Licensed funders and mandated contract disclosures.
- Strong volume of auto, premises, and worksite injury cases.
- Illinois uses modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar.
- Non-recourse: no recovery, no repayment.
Regulation works in your favor here
Illinois enacted the Consumer Legal Funding Act to bring order to the industry. It requires funders to be licensed and mandates clear contract disclosures, so Illinois plaintiffs generally see more transparent agreements than people in unregulated states. That doesn't mean you skip reading the contract, but it does tilt the playing field toward the consumer. Our questions to ask before accepting funding guide still applies.
The 51% bar
Illinois uses modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar. You recover as long as you're not more than half at fault, reduced by your percentage. As in other 51%-bar states, that makes liability evidence important and financial staying power valuable so you're not rushed into settling before fault is nailed down.
What Illinois plaintiffs fund
Chicago's traffic and dense development generate steady auto and premises litigation, along with worksite injuries across the metro and downstate. Many job-site cases include a third-party claim that can be funded alongside workers comp; see our workers compensation funding page. Auto and slip and fall claims round out the most common types.
Getting started in Illinois
Because Illinois agreements come with required disclosures, you'll have a clear payoff schedule to review. Once your attorney can share your records, check your eligibility and you'll usually hear back within a couple of business days.
Frequently asked questions
Through the Consumer Legal Funding Act, which licenses funders and requires clear contract disclosures. That generally means more transparent agreements for Illinois plaintiffs.
Illinois bars recovery if you're more than 50% at fault. At 50% or less, you recover, reduced by your share. Strong liability evidence keeps you on the right side of it.
Often yes, especially when a third party shares fault. That third-party claim can be funded alongside a workers comp claim.
Illinois regulates consumer legal funding and requires disclosures under the Consumer Legal Funding Act. Review the disclosed payoff schedule before signing.