{"id":357957,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:17","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/hirealawyer\/attorney-fees-and-agreements\/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-lawyer-on-retainer.html"},"modified":"2024-02-12T15:04:21","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T20:04:21","slug":"what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-lawyer-on-retainer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer\/attorney-fees-and-agreements\/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-lawyer-on-retainer.html","title":{"rendered":"What Does It Mean To Have a Lawyer on Retainer?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What Does It Mean To Have a Lawyer on Retainer?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

A retainer is simply an advance payment for legal services. Retainer fee agreements vary by law firm and the services needed. Yet, the phrase of having a lawyer “on retainer” means keeping them available to handle any legal matters that arise. This arrangement is more common for small businesses and certain people with recurring legal needs.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You may have heard of people having an attorney on retainer. Small-business owners and some individuals pay attorneys a small fee regularly so the attorney is available when needed. That is one way of having an attorney on retainer.<\/p>\n

A retainer agreement is useful for small businesses that need regular legal work but do not need a full-time attorney on staff. A company that is regularly\u00a0audited<\/a>\u00a0or turns in documents for\u00a0regulatory compliance<\/a>\u00a0each quarter may need an attorney on standby to ensure you do everything right.<\/p>\n

There are different kinds of retainers. Not everyone needs an attorney at their beck and call. Read on to learn more about retainer fees and when you might need an attorney on call. In either case, be sure to find a lawyer<\/a> who is qualified to advise you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Types of Retainer Fees<\/h2>\n

Retainers are fees paid in advance<\/a> for legal services. The fee agreement and retainer fee are slightly different depending on why you hire the attorney.<\/p>\n

See definitions of the types of legal retainers below:<\/p>\n