A retainer agreement falls between a one-time contract and full-time employment. It is common for a person seeking the services of a lawyer (attorney-at-law) to pay a retainer fee to the lawyer, to draft legal documents, to do legal research or to see a case through to its conclusion, ie. until the the end of the court proceedings.
A retainer agreement usually sets forth the obligations of the attorney-at-law (provider of professional legal services) and the client, the attorney’s fee, the scope of legal representation (the legal services that a lawyer will provide to a client), the costs, expenses, and other expenditures. In addition to the retainer fee, an agreement between a client and an attorney may provide for a contingency fee, the payment of which will depend upon the successful outcome of the case. If the attorney terminates the retainer agreement, s/he must fulfill those urgent legal matters that come up until the client is able to engage another law firm or attorney.
KEY VOCABULARY
attorney-at-law
client
to do legal research
to draft legal documents
employment
engage
one-time contract
retainer fee
retainer fee
see a case through to its conclusion
seeking the services
scope of legal representation
to terminate an agreement