SAN FRANCISCO — The Heller Ehrman estate is poised to pay out between $21 million and $28 million this fall to the failed firm’s unsecured creditors, including about $3 million to former associates and staff. The first batch of checks will be mailed in late September pending approval from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali of San Francisco.

Sacramento attorney Thomas Willoughby, who represents the creditors’ committee, said they expect the payments to amount to between 24 and 33 cents on a dollar of debt.