what is a retainer? (law)?

Answer 1

A retainer is an advanced fee usually based on the lawyer’s hourly rate. Think of a retainer as a “down payment” against which future fees and costs are billed. Usually the retainer is placed in a special account and costs are deducted from there. Bear in mind that a retainer fee usually is non-refundable. A retainer fee can also mean that you pay a retainer to have a lawyer on-call to handle your legal problems over a period of time.

Answer 2

I retained my attorney for one case which ballooned into 5 cases running the gamut from criminal law to family law to administrative appeals and even a driver's license suspension hearing.

He never told me how much per hour he bills and he has never asked me for any additional money. I gave him $5K up front in 9/05 and another $300 since 8/06.

There are flat retainers where one agrees to pay a set amount regardless of how many hours the attorney spends on the case. Bankruptcy attorneys usually operate this way because they prepare and file the petition and attend one creditor's hearing and that's it. Anything else incurs additional expenses.

There are contingency retainers where an attorney charges $1,000 for office costs and the like and then collect a percentage of the settlement proceeds (like 33% or 40%).

Bottom line is make sure that you and the attorney are on the same page regarding retainers - especially how much the attorney charges per hour if one goes that route.

Answer 3

A retainer is a fee that an attorney charges to accept you as a client, and represent your case in a court of law. Some attorneys do not charge a retainer fee in a medical malpractice suit. You can contact Legal Aid in your community for any further questions. They do not charge a fee for answering your questions. Look for their phone number in your city listings.

Answer 4

The term has a couple of common uses:

1. a synonym for an attorney-client agreement.

2. money paid to an attorney to have him on call anytime you need him.

3. money paid to an attorney as an "advance" for fees/costs. In this case, the retainer money is held in trust and billed against - if the lawyer finishes your work with money left over, or if you get another attorney, you get your retainer back.

Answer 5

a retainer is basically a down payment given to an attorney for his services in a legal matter. Upon taking your retainer he agrees to be there when needed and the balance is usually paid off in, installments that you have agreed to

Answer 6

It's basically a deposit or down-payment against future expenses.

The lawyer will accept a retainer, as part of a contract for services. The costs and expenses of the proceeding will be applied against the retainer, with additional payments as the case proceeds.

Answer 7

basically its a down payment on services by an attorney

Answer 8

dh 1977 about explained it.