Deposits & Billing

Incoming non-gift payments due to Columbia Law School (CLS) are invoiced and received via ACH Direct Deposit or Bank Wire Transfer. These payments may include reimbursements and fees for services provided by CLS. For assistance with incoming payments, please contact the Banking Team at [email protected]

Gifts and Sponsored Project Payments

Gifts and sponsored project payments follow a separate process and are handled through Columbia University’s Central Administration. Gifts are collected by the Development Services. Please refer to the applicable Standard Business Process for additional guidance.

Payment Restrictions
  • CLS does not accept checks drawn on non-U.S. banks
  • CLS does not accept cash as a form of payment
  • Gifts should be directed to the Development Services

Incoming Payments

CLS strictly prefers to receive any and all payments due to CLS via ACH Direct Deposit or Bank Wire Transfer, denominated in US Dollars. Case by case exceptions may be granted to receive payment by check in US Dollars from a U.S. bank. 

 

All reimbursement or fee for service requests to CLS are made by invoice. All invoices must include the full payment instructions for CLS' bank account at JPM Chase. All payment instructions must include a reference line called REF that lists the invoice #. All invoices must include the following:

  • Full address of payer
  • Contact person at payer: name, email address, and phone #
  • Date
  • Type of payment invoiced for (Reimbursement or Fee for Service)
  • Invoice #
  • Amount
  • REF in payment instructions: LAW Invoice #

For CLS, to locate and claim an incoming payment, the following three conditions must be met:

  1. all payers include the REF in the payment instructions
  2. all payers provide an electronic copy of their bank’s payment confirmation to their CLS contact

CLS contact forwards the electronic copy of the payer’s bank’s payment confirmation together with an electronic copy of the original invoice to [email protected]

Please know that the Business Office cannot claim or apply funds without the respective REF line on the payment instruction, without an electronic copy of the payer’s bank confirmation, or without an electronic copy of the original invoice.

If an exception has been granted to receive payment by check in US Dollars from a U.S. bank, instead of ACH Direct Deposit or Bank Wire Transfer, submit a check deposit request. Any check deemed stale will not be accepted and will be returned.

Follow the steps on the Check Deposit Form to deposit up to 10 checks per request and sign your name at the bottom before submitting to the Business Office with the check(s) enclosed. All checks must be made payable to "Columbia University." 

Note: Gifts are collected by CLS Development Office.