What is a Legal Retainer?

What is a legal retainer and how does it work?

A legal retainer is a lump sum payment made by a client to an attorney at the commencement of legal representation.  It facilitates the satisfaction of costs (court costs, clerk filing fees, process server fees, etc) and attorney fees (services performed by the attorney at a specified hourly rate) contemplated to be incurred as a result of the attorney’s representation of the client.  A legal retainer is not a “quote” and is not meant to cover the total expense  of the legal representation, rather it is meant to serve as a prepayment or a good faith down payment for expected court costs and a limited number of service hours at the attorney’s billable hourly rate.

A legal retainer is refundable to the extent that the funds have not been applied towards the satisfaction of costs already incurred or attorney services already performed on a client’s matter.  If the total amount of costs incurred and attorney fees exceeds the initial retainer deposit, attorneys generally request additional retainer sums and payments as their representation of the client progresses.

The attorneys at The Law Offices of Robert F. Kramer, Ltd. understand that each client has a unique set of circumstances leading them to need legal representation.  That is why our attorneys work with clients to come up with convenient legal retainer arrangements that are specifically tailored to the facts and circumstances surrounding their case.  With offices in Lombard and Plainfield, our lawyers are able to meet in person or on the phone with clients and always offer a free 30 minute initial consultation.