What is a “non-refundable” retainer?
A retainer is a sum of money paid to the attorney at the outset of representation. If the retainer is “non-refundable,” that means that no matter how little work the attorney does, the attorney is entitled to keep the full retainer. A retainer that is NOT “non-refundable” would be deposited in a client trust account and used like a “down payment,” to be applied towards future services. If not all of this type of retainer is needed to pay the attorney, the balance gets refunded to the client at the end of the case. Make sure that you understand which type of retainer you are paying. It should be spelled out in a written fee agreement.
