Which term refers to an advance payment that secures ongoing legal services?

Which term refers to an advance payment that secures ongoing legal services?

• A. Full-text database
• B. Retainer
• C. Fixed fee
• D. Tickler system

Answer: (B)

An upfront payment to secure ongoing legal services is called a retainer. It acts as a commitment from the client to the attorney, ensuring the attorney’s availability to work on matters and providing funds to draw against as work is performed. In practice, the client pays an amount at the start, and the attorney bills hours against that amount; if more work arises, the retainer can be replenished. This differs from a fixed fee, which is a single agreed price for a defined set of tasks; a full-text database is simply a resource for finding complete texts of statutes and cases; and a tickler system is a reminder tool to track deadlines.

An upfront payment to secure ongoing legal services is called a retainer. It acts as a commitment from the client to the attorney, ensuring the attorney’s availability to work on matters and providing funds to draw against as work is performed. In practice, the client pays an amount at the start, and the attorney bills hours against that amount; if more work arises, the retainer can be replenished. This differs from a fixed fee, which is a single agreed price for a defined set of tasks; a full-text database is simply a resource for finding complete texts of statutes and cases; and a tickler system is a reminder tool to track deadlines.