Ask the lawyer to explain the fee arrangement in plain language. A fixed fee covers agreed work; an hourly fee charges for time spent. A retainer can mean the agreement to act for you or money paid in advance. Check which meaning is being used.
Understand the situation and prepare
A fixed-fee document review might include one document and one call, but not negotiation with the other side. An hourly estimate may change as the work grows. Ask what is included, what could cost extra and how you will be told about changes. For money paid in advance, ask how it will be held, used and returned if it is not needed.
Separate the charging method from an advance payment
A fixed fee describes agreed work for a stated fee, subject to its actual scope. Hourly billing depends on time and the agreed rate. The word retainer can describe the engagement or money paid in advance, so ask what it means in the document you are signing and how the money will be applied.
A practical example
Illustrative example: A lawyer quotes a fixed fee to review one agreement. You later ask for negotiations and another document. Those additions may need a new price or scope rather than being included automatically. An advance payment is also not, by itself, proof that all future work has been paid for.
Questions to settle before the next step
Ask what you will receive, how an advance is recorded, when bills are issued and what happens to any unused amount. Check treatment of tax and expenses. Request an explanation of the saved agreement if its terminology is unclear, rather than relying on the everyday meaning of retainer.
Your next steps
- Read the scope before comparing prices.
- Confirm whether a deposit is an advance or payment for billed work.
- Ask about taxes, outside expenses and extra work.
- Ask how unused money and final invoices will be dealt with.
How LegalMart can help
Find help that fits
LegalMart's service descriptions show the task, scope and exclusions. Read the particular lawyer's offer before accepting it. If the work does not fit a listed package, ask for a quote so you can discuss a suitable arrangement instead of guessing which option to buy.
Keep the work connected
After your lawyer accepts the engagement, use the agreed shared service room for messages, documents and the next recorded action. Your lawyer may separately use private Workplace matter tools; you do not need a firm login, and sharing in one place does not automatically copy records into the other.
Use LegalMart for your next step
Have a question about a feature or its availability? Raise a question with support and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
What to keep in mind
LegalMart is not a lawyer trust bank account. Available payment controls do not determine the professional classification or bank settlement of funds. Ask the lawyer about the treatment of your particular payment; not every payment to a lawyer is an advance held in trust.
Helpful sources
Read more from these official sources. Rules and services can change; check the current information before acting.